Worth 1000 Memories
by CeliaEquus
Summary: When Hermione, suffering from amnesia after the final battle, has to succumb to a marriage law, there's an ultimatum... and Severus Snape will have to pay the ultimate price because of it. Disclaimer: I don't own the franchise.
1. The Battle's Ending

"The Battle's Ending"

Severus Snape lay dying in the Shrieking Shack. Nobody knew… yet.

The Battle of Hogwarts had ended, and people were dead. Colin Creevey, Tonks, Remus, Fred. Hermione felt useless; and no matter how many people told her that she played a big part in the death of Lord Voldemort, it didn't make her feel any better.

She watched the Weasleys cry over Fred's body, and thought back over everything bad that had happened to them. George's ear, Percy's desertion, Mr. Weasley's snakebite…

Snakebite.

The same snakebite that had claimed the life of Severus Snape, Dumbledore's man, the 'forgotten' spy. He didn't deserve to die.

And maybe he hadn't…

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Okay, so these are supposed to be 100-word drabbles. Or perhaps longer. Inspired, word-length wise, by "When All Else Fails", an extremely long fic which is in chapter instalments of 100 words (approximately).

**I'm posting this now because I'm slightly nervous about the fact that I've only got 13 stories. While 13 isn't really an unlucky number for me, I'm not risking it. I just hope you enjoy this. I plan to make it funnier, despite the (sort of) depressing first chapter. Hmm.**


	2. Saving Severus Snape

"Saving Severus Snape"

It was a long sprint to the Shrieking Shack, but Hermione was determined. Several saw her leave, but just assumed that she wanted to be by herself, not surrounded by death and unhappiness, despite the victory that had yet to be celebrated.

One look at the still body on the floor of the dusty room made Hermione's heart pause in its pounding.

"Oh, _sir_," she whispered, trying to regain her breath. She moved forward slowly, and fell to her knees beside the ex-headmaster's body. She placed a hand on his chest, and sighed for him, tears dripping off her chin.

She almost missed the soft groan.

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I'm really trying very hard to keep the chapters short, as I'm more likely to be able to handle shorter chapters, and therefore post more often. As it turns out, I have at least 20 books to read for uni this semester—_**fun**_**, not—so I'll be skimming through them big-time. Or reading the Cliff's Notes in the case of **_**Frankenstein**_**.**

**Come to think of it, I think I can read those ones online… I'll just do what my sister did for **_**Vanity Fair**_**, and read the beginning, the end, and cover the middle via Cliff's Notes. Inspired idea on her part, and she still got an A, or A+.**


	3. Transference

"Transference"

"You're alive," Hermione said quietly, her voice was barely a breath. "P-professor, sir. You're… you're _alive_!"

His eyes opened, before they narrowed to almost imperceptible slits.

"Granger?" he rasped.

"Yes, sir. Don't worry; I'll help you."

"Can't… help… dying… man…"

"I'll send a patronus, and tell them to hurry!" she said. Once her otter was out the window, she turned back to Severus.

She had a bezoar, and got it out immediately. Forcing it down Severus' throat, she waited.

It didn't work. He just got paler. There was only one thing left to do.

"Sir, I'm going to try… Transference."

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So, guess what's going to happen?


	4. It's Magic

"It's Magic"

"Stupid… girl…" Severus croaked, but Hermione wasn't listening. She pulled out one of her books, and flipped to the right page. She blushed at the first instruction, but wanted to save the spy.

"Quiet, sir," she said, and with a strong movement, she ripped open his robes, and then his shirt, to bare his chest. He growled, but she ignored him. Propping up the book on his legs, she started to murmur the words written there, her hands on his chest.

She gasped as the wounds opened on her neck, and Nagini's poison began to magically flow into her.

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*Twiddling thumbs while trying to think of something reasonably witty for the author note, but increasingly unsuccessful in endevours*


	5. Further Serious Injuries

"Further Serious Injuries"

The next thing that happened was that Hermione's bones were painfully crushed, while Severus' painfully repaired. Hermione was dizzy, but kept reading, knowing that the only way they could survive would be for her to finish. He was rundown, and twenty years older than her; she was more likely to survive the injuries, and they'd both die if the spell was incomplete.

It took a few minutes for her shaky voice to finish the incantation, petrified at the thought of getting it wrong.

After the last word of the spell, she blacked out, and Severus sat up.

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Gosh, 100 words really isn't much, is it? Ah well. I'm determined to do my best. What do you all think of this story so far? I promise, the plot will progress soon.


	6. Reciprocity

"Reciprocity"

Severus stared down at Hermione. "_Gryffindors_."

With this heartfelt scoff, he stood, and tested his limbs. He sighed, and glanced out the window, wondering if this meant that the battle was over… if the war was over. His blood was still all over the floor, in a dramatic pool, and he wondered how this was possible, but Hermione's own blood was now flowing. Well, it was time to reciprocate.

The ex-headmaster picked up his heroine's body, angrily kicked aside an overturned chair on his way to the door, and carefully carried her down the tunnel.

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Aw. He's saving her, or at least trying to.

**Can't think of anything else to say, so ciao! Enjoy!**


	7. To Hogwarts, to Hogwarts

"To Hogwarts, to Hogwarts"

It was a slow trek across the grounds, as Severus was still weak from the blood loss. He wondered how he was still able to be alive with the amount of blood he had lost, but he supposed that it was all part of the magic.

"Transference," he muttered derisively. "Really, Granger. What were you thinking?"

Some people were leaving the castle, and he stiffened until he saw that they weren't Death Eaters. Relieved, he made his way forward, and they gasped.

"S-severus?" Minerva whispered when he neared them. He nodded, and brushed past them as he carried Hermione to the infirmary.

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I hope you all really are enjoying the story as much as you appear to be. Enjoy!


	8. Disbelief

"Disbelief"

"We all thought you were dead," Minerva said, hurrying after Severus as he sprinted up the staircase. "And then when Potter told us what he saw in your memories…"

"You told everyone?" Severus asked, his voice still managing to be slow and threatening as they all ran to the hospital wing.

"Well, yeah," Harry panted as he tried to keep pace with the ex-headmaster. "I had to explain the Elder Wand, you see…"

"And you and Lily Potter," Minerva added, shaking her head as they neared the infirmary.

"Hush your prattling, woman," Severus said as he kicked open the doors.

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I don't know what made me use the word 'prattling'.


	9. In the Hospital Wing

"In the Hospital Wing"

"Poppy!" Severus shouted as they entered the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey looked up from the patient she was working on, and gaped at the sight of Severus carrying an unconscious Hermione.

"Severus!" she exclaimed. "And Miss Granger! What on earth happened?"

"The stupid girl decided to perform Transference on me," he said, carefully placing her on a bed while Madame Pomfrey finished work on her patient so that she could take care of Hermione.

"And she managed it?" Minerva asked, astonished.

"This is Hermione Granger," Severus said grimly. "Of course she damn well managed it."

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Aw! He has such faith in her.


	10. Right

"Right"

Well, Hermione had been right in her assessment, which annoyed Severus. If they had tried to save him, he would have died from his injuries before further help could arrive. However, Hermione being younger and healthier, they were able to stabilise her condition.

Severus needed to take regular doses of Blood Replenishing Potion because of his own spectacular blood loss. Other than that, he was perfectly fine, and was far more concerned over Hermione's condition.

So, while he waited to be cleared of all charges, he would often sit with her in the days after that battle, hoping that she would wake soon.

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Now, the reason the chapters are so short is because I was trying to do this story in a series of drabbles. However, before I write—and then post—the next chapter, who wants me to double or triple the length of the chapters? I'm up for negotiations!


	11. Sleeping Beauty Awakes

"Sleeping Beauty Awakes"

Several weeks had passed since Voldemort's fall, and things seemed to be getting back to normal in the wizarding world. Businesses were picking up where they had left off; graduation was nearing for the Hogwarts students; and the Ministry was resuming its work, in a manner of speaking.

One day, Hermione woke up. Severus was there, reading to her from _The Daily Prophet_ and offering his own opinions on the articles, including what the Ministry of Magic's big new 'plan' might be. A rustle and a small moan issued from the bed next to his chair, and he looked up in astonishment to see her turning around to look at him.

"Hello," she said blearily, raising her tired arms to rub her eyes. She squinted to try and focus while he put aside the newspaper slowly.

"Miss Granger," he said, smiling. It was a real smile, a relieved smile; indeed, a happy smile. "I'm so glad you're awake. How do you feel?"

She looked at him, confused. "Uh… fine, I suppose. Well, tired. _Very_ tired. And wondering what I'm doing here. Wherever 'here' is."

"You're at Hogwarts, in the hospital wing."

"H-hogwarts?"

"Yes. Some people died in the final battle, but… look, I'll call Madame Pomfrey for you."

"Why did you call me that?"

"…Call you what?"

"Miss Granger. Is… is that my name?"

Severus sat back down in his chair heavily, gaping in horror. "You don't know your own name," he whispered hoarsely.

"And what's this Hogwarts?" she continued, looking around her and wondering what type of hospital this place could be, without machines all around her. And… _candles_ on the walls?

"It's a school for learning magic," he said slowly, hoping against hope that she wasn't going to end up like Gilderoy Lockhart, or Neville's parents.

"Magic?" she asked, and she laughed. "Pull the other one! There's no such thing."

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By popular demand (so much for 'negotiations'), the chapter is longer… as you can see. And by the suggestion of angelous369, I've tripled the length of the original chapters. As notwritten kindly put it, I'll write what I can write, as I started back at uni (college) in about a month's time.


	12. Amnesia

"Amnesia"

"Of course there's such a thing as magic," Severus said, frowning, and trying not to panic. The brightest witch of her age had no memory of magic. Damn it…

"Oh, come on!" Hermione exclaimed. "You can't honestly expect me to believe that?"

"Madame Pomfrey!" he shouted, and the medi-witch came over to them.

"You're awake, Miss Granger? That's good," she said, and she pulled out her wand to start performing diagnostic spells. Hermione's eyes widened when she saw what was happening, and promptly passed out.

Severus sighed, and Madame Pomfrey looked shocked.

"What happened?" she asked, and Severus raised his head.

"She's got amnesia," he said. "She doesn't even remember magic."

"Not remember magic?" Madame Pomfrey said, aghast. "Oh, no! The poor dear."

"She doesn't remember her name; she sure as hell won't remember her friends," he continued. "You'd better tell them. At least she's seen me. Typical. The first person she 'meets' in her new life just happens to be her dreaded former professor."

"But you're a hero, so it's not all bad," Madame Pomfrey said reassuringly, patting Severus on the shoulder. He glared at her, and she pulled back.

"Not all bad?" he asked, and he stood up. "She is the least dunderheaded student I've ever had the displeasure to teach, and she's the _one_ student who has lost her memory! All in the name of saving my life! What will her friends think? They hate me; they always have."

"Well, they'll have to get over it until her memory can return," Madame Pomfrey said, finishing the diagnostic spells. "She's still a little weak, but another night in the infirmary and some Pepper-up Potion ought to do it. The greater concern now is her amnesia."

"You're telling me," Severus muttered, and he sat down again beside Hermione's bed.

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Next chapter… I haven't written yet, but it will probably be when Harry and Ron find out about the amnesia. After that, they'll have to meet Hermione, who really won't remember them. And then, eventually, we get to… the marriage law.

**Excited? I am.**


	13. Harry and Ron Are Told

"Harry and Ron Are Told"

Madame Pomfrey hated being the one to do it, but someone had to. She found Harry and Ron outside, mourning the deaths of their loved ones, and playing with Teddy Lupin, who had been brought to Hogwarts temporarily. There were flashes coming from down by the gates of Hogwarts, signalling the arrival or departure of someone who was currently being bombarded by the press.

"Mr. Potter? Mr. Weasley?" she called, and they looked up from where they were.

"Is Hermione awake?" Ron asked, scrambling to his feet and nearly knocking over Teddy.

"She has woken, yes, but…"

"C'mon, Harry!" the redhead shouted, trying to yank his best friend to his feet.

"Mr. Weasley!" Madame Pomfrey admonished. "Calm yourself. There's something I must tell you both before you go near her."

"What is it?" Harry asked, preparing himself for the worse. The medi-witch sighed at his youthful cynicism, brought on by having to fight in a war.

"Miss Granger appears to have… lost her memories," she said, and the boys looked at each other. "

"She's got amnesia?" Harry confirmed.

"She doesn't remember us?" Ron said, horrified.

"Total amnesia; she doesn't even remember her own name, let alone anyone else… let alone magic."

Harry's head drooped down to his chest, and he watched Teddy trying to pull up mounds of grass. Ron dropped to his knees, and they both sat there in shock for several minutes, not even noticing when Madame Pomfrey left.

Their best friend, a war-heroine and the person who saved Severus Snape by doing extremely complicated healing magic… and she didn't remember anything about it.

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Okay, not _**that**_** close to 300 words this time, but I've spent several minutes trying to make the chapter a bit longer, and this ended up being the best place to end it. So I apologise; but it could be worse. We could have been back with the 100-word chapters, which I know you all detest.**


	14. A Meeting of Old Acquaintances

"A Meeting of Old Acquaintances"

One of the few times that Severus was away from the hospital wing was when Hermione's best friends decided to visit her, and make themselves known.

"Hello," Hermione said, as they approached her cautiously.

"Hi," Ron said, giving Hermione a small smile.

"Hello, `Mione," Harry added, situating himself on one side of the bed, leaving Ron to stand on the other.

"N-no," she said, frowning. "It's _Her_mione. They told me that."

"Well, '`Mione' is your nickname," Ron said, trying to help.

"Oh," she said, and an uncomfortable silence descended.

"I'm Harry Potter…"

"And I'm Ron Weasley…"

"And we're your best friends," Harry finished. "Only I guess you've forgotten… haven't you?" Hermione nodded.

"Do we even _seem _familiar?" Ron asked desperately. Hermione shook her head.

"Well, that's… that's okay," Harry said, but Ron had other ideas.

"Look," he said, and he leaned towards Hermione. She shrank back in her pillows, terrified by his sudden movement. "I'm only going to kiss you. We kissed before the final battle."

"I don't want to kiss you! You're a stranger!"

"I'm not a stranger," Ron said, frustrated, and Harry went to the other side of the bed to try and calm him down. "Just let me kiss you. Then you'll remember." He grabbed the sides of her arms, getting more agitated, and Hermione panicked.

"Help!" she cried, and a pair of steel-like hands unceremoniously wrenched Ron away.

"Hadn't you learned, _Weasley_, that when a lady says 'no', she means 'no'?" Severus Snape asked.

"Let go of me, _Snape_," he said viciously, and Severus propelled him towards Harry.

"Get out of here now," Severus told them slowly. Ron looked furious, but Harry just looked guilty.

"Sorry, Hermione," he said, and he dragged Ron from the room, while Hermione threw her arms around Severus' waist.

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Okay, we're getting closer to the marriage law. Severus _**will**_** stop visiting Hermione so much once she's better. After all, she has to face her former acquaintances eventually. But did you all like the 'rescue'? I just threw it in there.**


	15. Trust

"Trust"

"Thank you for rescuing me," Hermione said as Severus sat down beside her.

"Least I could do, considering…" he began, but he trailed off, unwilling to say any more.

"Considering what? What do you mean?" she asked. He shifted in his chair uncomfortably; to anyone else, that would have looked strange. But with Hermione's loss of memory, she had no idea what the real Severus Snape was like.

For that matter, _nobody_ knew the real Severus Snape, and he preferred to keep it that way.

"Well, it's just…" he said. Taking a deep breath, he continued. "Well, you saved my life; therefore, I'm in your debt."

"I saved your life?" she said, sitting up in her bed, eyes shining. "How did I do that?"

"There's a certain piece of magic called 'Transference'," he said, "which only very advanced witches and wizards can perform. Well… you performed it. You saved my life by taking on my injuries as your own."

"So if I hadn't done that, you'd have amnesia instead."

"Actually, I'd be dead. Being so much older than you, and so worn down by years of spying, pretending to serve a paranoid Dark Lord… I never would have survived."

"Well, I'm glad you did," Hermione said, and she reached out and squeezed one of his hands. Madame Pomfrey, who was nearby, raised her eyebrows at this. "But does this mean that I'm a witch?"

"Yes," he said. "The smartest witch—the best student—at Hogwarts."

"Really?" she asked, wide-eyed at the thought. "Hmm."

"Which is why we have to get your memory back," he said, standing decisively. "There's no way a brain like yours should just go to waste. As soon as you're well enough, we'll start re-training you in magic, and also start to bring back your memories."

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Ooh! 300 words precisely, including the title of the chapter. Well done, our Grace; well done.

**Over 60 reviews so far, which is terrific!**

**Geniia—thank you for your lovely comments. They manage to lighten my mood as much as my writing lightens yours. It's very heartening.**

**Faked—should I be flattered, or are you having a bad day? If it **_**is**_** a bad day, I hope it gets better.**

**RedRose102 & Artemis Decibal—glad you enjoyed the rescue. Hope you enjoy the rest of the story.**


	16. The Infamous Marriage Law

"The Infamous Marriage Law"

Pangs of shock ran through the wizarding world with the announcement in _The Daily Prophet_ the next day. Anyone single witches and wizards between the ages of seventeen and sixty-five had to marry within a year. Purebloods were discouraged from marrying each other, and Muggleborns were _strongly _discouraged from marrying each other.

Ron was annoyed that Hermione had forgotten him, and that she even seemed frightened of him now. Snape had told them that _if_ Hermione sent for them, they were to come; but until then, they were not to set one foot near her.

"I have to get married?" Hermione asked Severus, tears streaking down her face, her voice shaking slightly. He nodded, looking at her from over the newspaper. "And within a year?"

"Less than that, actually, to have a child on the way," he said. "They were going to make it three months, but decided that the public wouldn't appreciate having a high concentration of anniversaries around the one spot in a year."

"I see. But… I don't remember anyone. How am I supposed to know who I love?"

"Well, fortunately the requirements aren't too severe," he said, scanning the article to avoid her eyes. Why couldn't _he_ have lost his memory instead?

"I want to marry for love," she said, crossing her arms sulkily, trying to keep herself from sobbing at the injustice. "In fact, damn it all! I _will_ marry for love."

"Hermione, you'll have to approach this logically. There are many people out there who would want to marry you for the wrong reasons. Some of these people may be dangerous. It may end up having to be a marriage of convenience…"

"No!" she said. "I will only marry for love."

"Damn," Severus muttered, and he handed over the paper. He needed to consult Minerva.

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Isn't she just so stubborn? Does she have an underlying motive to her actions, though? Or maybe she's just been reading too much Jane Austen…


	17. Logic Prevails Somewhat

"Logic Prevails… Somewhat"

"She really won't listen to reason, will she?" Professor Flitwick asked. Severus shook his head, as did Madame Pomfrey. They were all in the medi-witch's office talking about Hermione's situation, trying to decide on the best course of action.

"She has one month," Severus said. "We need to find someone to marry her."

"Yes," Minerva said. "Someone who'll protect her from danger, someone she can trust, who knows the kind of dangers she may face."

"She can't marry another Muggleborn," Madame Pomfrey said, skimming through the article in her own copy of the _Prophet_. "Not really."

"I also found out something that you'll all _love_," Severus said. "You know how all those Death Eaters—and yes, I know I'm one as well—are awaiting trial in Azkaban?"

"You've been cleared of all charges," Flitwick pointed out.

"Thank Merlin for that," he replied sarcastically. "But, because none of them are actual _residents_ of Azkaban, only awaiting trouble, they can still get married in the meantime, which means that they can send their own proposals to Miss Granger. And since she wants to be romanced… well, once that's released, they'll start sending her flowery writing in the hope that she'll fall for one of them through correspondence."

"Tell her that they're the enemy!" Minerva cried, exasperated.

"What about the ones who just want her because she's famous, but who may abuse her nonetheless? And with the amount of money that the Ministry's going to pay out to everyone who fought for the side of the Light in the final battle… gold diggers, not just fame-seekers, will also be after her hand."

"You should marry her, Severus," Madame Pomfrey said suddenly, and they all looked at her. "After all, she's grown quite attached to you, and you've been looking after her so well, that it won't take much to convince her to marry you."

"Do you _really_ see me as the flowers-and-chocolate kind of… suitor?" he asked, not disputing the fact that they certainly were getting along well.

"Who were you planning to propose to, Severus?" Minerva asked, raising her eyebrows.

He grunted, conceding the point. "All right. She's one of few people I could ever put up with as my wife." He shuddered at the word 'wife'. She used to be his student, after all, and was a Gryffindor at that. A know-it-all. Well, that wasn't so bad, actually. At least she was intelligent, and appreciated books just as he did. And she needed protection. He'd been watching her these past few weeks, and didn't want that all to go to waste.

"Well?" Flitwick asked. Severus looked up from his boots.

"Fine. I'll do it."

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Longer chapter than usual. I couldn't stop writing this one; just couldn't decide how to end it. So… I'm sure you don't mind, considering the number of reviews I get asking to make the chapters longer. However, in a few week's time, I'll be back at uni, and won't have as much time to write long chapters, so you'll have to bear with me when it gets to that stage.


	18. Careful Approach

"Careful Approach"

Severus knew that he couldn't rush in with his 'courting'. He would risk scaring Hermione off if he moved too fast. Nor did he wish to risk screwing things up, in case he never got a second chance. His life was like that. The only two people who had ever given him second chances were Dumbledore and Voldemort, and now he was free of _their _control.

"Good evening," he said when he joined Hermione after dinner. She was going to be let out of the infirmary eventually; but until they had worked out the safest place to 'keep' her, and until she was fully recovered, Madame Pomfrey wasn't going to let her leave.

"Hello, Severus!" she said brightly, moving aside some odd pieces of parchment. They were spread over her lap, and he grabbed her wrists to stop her from moving them.

"What are these?" he asked quietly, and she blushed, not only at his touch and proximity, but at his voice.

"I've been getting a lot of mail since this morning; and since you were busy, I decided just to go ahead and read them. One of the teachers—Professor Fitwick?—tested them for me, to make sure that they weren't cursed."

"Flitwick," he corrected, and he sifted through some of the 'love letters'. They nearly all of them contained marriage proposals. He lifted an eyebrow as he looked at her over the top of a letter from Draco Malfoy. "Miss Granger, a lot of the people who have written you these letters will be people who want to hurt you, and are already awaiting trial for horrific crimes."

"Which ones?" she asked, her brow furrowing as she clutched the bed sheets in panic and fear. "Oh, Severus. Which ones? How am I supposed to know?"

"That's why you've got me," he said; and, sighing, he sat on the chair beside the bed, and started to separate the letters into three piles: Dangerous, Unknown, Safe.

And this was only the first day of the marriage law.

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Okay, so this is going quite well. A couple of the other stories I've got going at the moment are a bit too similar in some respects, so I'm having difficulties writing them; but this story's fine. I think we're doing well here, peoples. I think we're doing well here.


	19. Poetry

"Poetry"

A week passed, and the letters dwindled. The Ministry, deciding to be _helpful_ for once, had banned any outgoing mail from Azkaban. Unfortunately, the wealthier Death Eaters who were under house arrest, could still send owls to Hermione; so it was up to Severus to intercept and screen her mail.

The notes which were classified as 'Dangerous' were disposed of immediately, after being scrupulously checked for Dark curses. Those which were 'Unknown'—i.e. any people who couldn't possibly know Hermione—were given to her at her insistence.

"How would _you_ know whether or not I actually _do_ know them?" she pointed.

The last ones, the messages which were 'Safe', were from fellow students of Hermione, or past Hogwarts students who she would have known.

"You'll go mad if you don't have intelligent conversation, once your memory returns," Severus said, getting rid of the proposals from the… less intelligent students, all while Hermione read.

"What if it doesn't return?"

"It will, Hermione. I'll make sure of it."

"… Thank you, Severus."

"Also, I'm getting rid of the people with whom I know—for a _fact_—you never got on along. It saves time. You need someone you like, at the very least."

"It's a marriage of love!" she reminded him sharply.

"Hermione…" he began, about to tell her that he loved her. But he couldn't do it. He had always loved Lily Evans, and he was only going to marry Hermione to keep her safe, and keep him from a potentially intolerable marriage. After all, anyone who had not decided within the month would have a marriage arranged by the Ministry of Magic.

"Oh, Severus! Read this one!" Hermione squealed, showing him yet _another_ love poem that had been included.

"Shakespeare again," he said, rolling his eyes. "Honestly. At least they're trying, I suppose, by using a Muggle poet."

"You're right," she said, and she sighed, dropping the 'excited' act. "No. I want something simple, without flowery phrases. No strange metaphors."

"Mmm-hmm," Severus agreed, thinking.

She wanted romance, did she? Well, with this new idea of his, he'd romance the hell out of her by the end of this week…

Her life depended on it.

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I have 21 books to read for university (college) this semester. Bloody hell. I won't be doing so much writing, for which I duly apologise in advance.

**Faked--I _think_ you said more.**


	20. The Ultimate Proposal

"The Ultimate Proposal"

Late night in the hospital wing. By now, Hermione was the only one left, as she had had the worse injuries. Severus would have died from them; Hermione almost suffered the same fate. It would have been a horrible death. The fact that she was alone was perfect for his purposes.

She had been sleeping throughout the day; and when she awoke, it was to a nearly-empty ward, lit by fifty floating candles. She rubbed her eyes, wondering if she was dreaming, and looked around in wonder. There were flowers as well: roses surrounding her, their gentle perfume and the vanilla of the candles mixing together to create an intoxicating scent that made her feel light-headed.

"W-what's going on?" she whispered.

"Hermione." She looked down at her right, and saw Severus kneeling there. She swallowed, and pushed off her blankets so that she could swivel around to see him a bit better.

"Severus," she began but he placed two fingers on her lips, an expression of quiet wonder on his face.

"Shh," he said, letting his fingers linger there for a few moments. "Let me speak first."

She nodded, and he took a hold of her hands. He hoped that this poem would suffice.

"_The life that I have is all that I have,_

_And the life that I have is yours._

_The love that I have of the life that I have_

_Is yours and yours and yours._

_A sleep I shall have,_

_A rest I shall have_

_Yet death will be but a pause,_

_For the peace of my years_

_In the long green grass_

_Will be yours and yours and yours._"

He stopped there, hoping that those were _happy_ tears he could see in her eyes, if they were indeed tears. He let go one of her hands, and pulled a box out of one of the pockets in his robes, maintaining eye contact with Hermione the entire time. Finally, he let go of her other hand, fingers trailing against each other to the very end. He opened the box, swallowing, his eyes still trained on hers.

"M-marry me, Hermione," he pleaded. "Please marry me. I never want to leave you; I… I love you." Just say yes, you foolish girl, he thought. Your life is on the line. Isn't this romantic enough for you? "Marry me. _Please_."

Hermione blinked, and she replied.

**

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**

Mwa-ha-ha-ha! Left you hanging, didn't I? And what did you think about the proposal?

**The poem—"The Life That I Have", or "Yours"—was written by Leo Marks, to be used as a poem code during World War Two. It was made famous in the movie **_**Carve Her Name with Pride**_**, although the movie changed things by making the main character's husband the writer of the poem. The film was based on the story of Violette Szabo, who was in the French Resistance, and this was her poem code. You can read more about it on Wikipedia.**


	21. Her Answer

"Her Answer"

Severus had thought long and hard about his decision. He had already heard on the grapevine about the marriage law, and had started considering his options long before the _Prophet_ announced it. He assumed that Granger would have her pick of boys, even men, and would most likely take on Ronald Weasley, since they had always been so close.

But then he had remembered her amnesia—what irony!—and agreed to attend a meeting to discuss the problems surrounding the petitions that she would undoubtedly get.

He had agreed—temporarily, so he thought—to try and woo her. It wasn't until he returned to his rooms after the meeting that he saw the amount of mail he had received that it struck him. She really _was_ his only option. How many other females did he know who might have a hope in hell of keeping up with him mentally? Also, she _had_ saved his life; he owed it to her. If marrying her was the only way to repay his life debt, by protecting her from the more unsavoury options, then he would do it.

And they were right. She _did_ seem to be getting attached to him. And sometimes she would blush, though that probably didn't mean anything…

Yes, he could tolerate her. Yes, he could protect her.

It was just a matter of out-romancing all the others to win her hand.

She made it easier when she told him what kind of love poems she _didn't_ want. He had been there through her recovery, when she'd remember small things about herself—favourite colour, favourite scent, favourite flower—so he formulated his plan of proposal as the time drew nearer to the month's end, choosing a poem that he remembered having been on the wall of his childhood home since before he was born.

So there he was one night, surrounded by dim candlelight and fragrant, red roses, on one knee and holding out a box with an old-fashioned diamond ring, waiting for her answer.

"No."

**

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**

Gaah! What have I done?

**(Bet you can't wait for the next chapter!)**

**StaticEcho19--I'm sorry. Just wait until the next chapter, though...**


	22. Nothing's Permanent

"Nothing's Permanent"

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry, Severus," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks as she looked at his shocked expression. "Really, I am. But I don't know you well enough. I don't know _anyone_ well enough to get married yet. I should just go back to a… what do you call it? Oh yes. I should just go back to living a Muggle life. I can't marry. I don't even know my parents, or where they are."

"Hermione, you only have three weeks left before you have to be engaged," Severus said, trying to remain calm. "We _both_ have. There's no one else alive I'd rather be married to, I know that much. Please. Don't turn me away. I know I should be used to rejection by now, but that never makes it any easier. Plus, I can protect you. I need to protect you. I _want_ to protect you. Was it… was it the manner of my proposal? I could try again, if you just give me more time…"

"S-severus, it's not that," she said, hurrying to reassure him.

"I could buy a different ring…"

"Severus!" she said firmly, and he stuttered to a halt. "Now, I like you very much. And at the moment, you're the only person I trust, except perhaps Madame Pomfrey."

"And you can't marry her."

"Precisely."

"Surely you can see the logic in this situation?" he asked desperately. Realising that he was still holding the ring box open, he snapped it shut, and returned it to his pocket with a sigh. He really hadn't been banking on a refusal.

"I told you, I want a marriage of _love_," she said. Severus stood, and sat in the chair beside her bed, running a hand through his hair as he thought.

"Hermione," he finally said. "Hear me out. I have an idea. In the Wizarding world, marriage is permanent—well, at least until either the husband or wife dies. However, engagements can still be broken off. You only have to be _engaged_ within the month. If we get engaged now, I'll give you the year—well, say ten months of it—to find someone you can truly love… find them in secret, naturally. If you are able to do so, then I'll break off the engagement by saying that I've had an affair with someone, and you'll be free to marry the man you really do love; and then _I'll_ leave to live as a Muggle. Thus, you'll have your happy ending, your reputation won't be besmirched, and I'll escape from the people who despise me on a daily basis. Do we have a deal?"

Hermione paused, saddened by his speech, but eventually held out her hand.

"I… I suppose we have a deal. Thank you, Severus. I accept your proposal of…" she sighed, "marriage."

**

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**

Needn't sound so dejected about it, Hermione. Anyway, I hope this appeases my darling readers, and that I'll stop getting 'threats'. I was really quite worried, the way you were all ganging up on me there…

Actually, I don't think I'd had so many reviews for the one chapter of this story so far, so thank you for your... support?


	23. Feelings

"Feelings"

Why on earth did she accept? Only a year to find the one person she could truly love, who could truly love her back? She'd need to do a hell of a lot of travelling, and in secret as well. No one could know that she was looking for someone else while she was supposed to be engaged to Severus. And what would he do if _he_ couldn't find anyone to marry?

Poor Severus. She couldn't help but pity him for being despised 'on a daily basis' as he put it.

She started to hum a tune, but couldn't recognise it. She sighed, doubting that it was anything _but_ Muggle music. It certainly felt familiar.

Sighing again, she looked up to see Severus enter the room.

"I've filed a petition for your hand in marriage," he said, his voice flat and dull, and his eyes the same. Other than that, his face held no expression, and Hermione briefly wondered if she had hurt his feelings with her initial rejection of his proposal.

"Thank you, Severus," she said quietly, and she looked down at her hands.

"If you like, I could read to you," he offered awkwardly, holding out the small book he was carrying. He handed it over, and she smiled. The poems of Emily Dickinson. She nodded, and gave him back the book. Sitting on the chair beside her bed, he opened to the first poem, and began to read.

After he had finished, she sighed again, and he glanced up at her.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Your voice was made for reading poetry aloud," she said, and she blushed. "Th-that's all."

"Oh. Shall I continue, then?"

"Please do. Only…"

"Only?"

"Could you write out that poem you read me—the one you quoted when you… when you asked me to marry you? It was just so beautiful…"

"Of course," he said, frowning down at the book. "Shall I continue?"

"Sorry. Yes, please."

**

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**

Hmm. A bit bittersweet at the moment, isn't it? She's not as immune to him as she pretends to be, but there are reasons for her reluctance, which shall all be explained in good time, if you'll only be patient.

**For those who want to know which Emily Dickinson poem it was… pick your favourite, and that was it.**

**(I live to please…)**


	24. First Lesson

"First Lesson"

"At least your wand is intact," Minerva said as she and Hermione sat opposite each other in the headmaster's office. "If you had had to start with a new wand, that would have made things more difficult. Now, I understand that you've read some of your old books to reacquaint yourself with magic?"

"Well, Severus read to me a lot, including passages from _Hogwarts, a History_," she said, "and I've done my own reading. But nothing seems particularly familiar. I feel a little tug sometimes, with certain spells which seem to have some kind of significance to me, from what Severus has said."

"That's a start," Minerva said, nodding and smiling. "Has he read you any books on potions yet?"

"No. Should he have?"

"Well, when you first met he was your Potions teacher."

"Oh. I see. Perhaps that's why…" Hermione trailed off.

"Why what?" Minerva pressed.

"Nothing," she said. "Could you help me with the first spell in this book, please? Maybe something will come back with the rush of magic… if there _is_ a rush of magic. Is there?"

"It's different for everyone," the older woman said, sitting back. "Anyway. Here's your matchstick. Try to turn it into a needle."

"How long did it take me to get this right the first time?" Hermione asked, hesitating.

"I'll tell you once you've mastered it," Minerva replied, raising an eyebrow. Hermione sighed; it just wasn't as expressive as whenever Severus raised a single eyebrow.

Waving her wand, and muttering the incantation, Hermione tried. The matchstick became slightly pointy at the end; but other than that, nothing happened. She looked up at the Transfiguration teacher in despair. Minerva rolled her eyes, and smiled.

"By the end of the first lesson, you had succeeded; but certainly not on the first try," she said, and Hermione relaxed. "You improved as the years went on, usually getting a spell right on the first go, or nearly right. Now try again."

By the fourth attempt, Hermione had it right. She beamed as though she was back in her first year, hugged Minerva in thanks, and skipped back to the hospital wing, where Severus was waiting to hear about her first day 'back at school'.

**

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Anyone else going to share their favourite Dickinson poem? Or is StaticEcho19 the only fan of her work out of my readers? Pity if that's the case. When I did a year at the Con (the Queensland Conservatorium of Music), I set a few of Dickinson's poems to music for an assignment. My major was composition (writing music).

**The poems (you can look up the full texts online, I should think) were:**

"**Water is taught by thirst"**

"**A clock stopped"**

**Huh. I thought there were more than that. Maybe I shoved in another poem that hasn't been underlined in the contents page of my book. Or a poem by another writer. That could be it.**

**If you couldn't find the poems online, I'll post them. And I'll let you know if I work out what the other poem was, if there **_**was**_** another poem.**


	25. Talking About the Future

"Talking About the Future"

"So, are _you_ going to be teaching me anything?" Hermione asked Severus after she had described her first lesson. He raised his eyebrows.

"I am no longer a teacher here," he said. "You will have teachers for your other subjects… well, except for Muggle Studies, which you don't need, and for Defence Against the Dark Arts, which may bring back some bad memories from the war. Besides, I've had enough of teaching, and just want to rest for awhile. I'll do all I can to help you regain your memories; but other than that, all I can do is support you, and pretend to be your fiancé."

"Indeed," Hermione said, dropping her gaze. "So what were you planning to do, instead of teaching?"

"The problem is," he said, leaning back in the chair, "that no one will be willing to give me a job. Certainly, I've had a number of owls regarding newspaper and radio interviews, now that everyone wants to talk to me again."

"Why didn't they want to talk to you before?"

"…I'll tell you some other time. It's no longer relevant. Suffice it to say, I did something that landed me in trouble, and my colleagues no longer trusted me. In fact, they downright hated me, though not as much as I hated myself. Now, everyone wants to talk to me about my role in the war, as a tragic hero, or something stupid like that."

"There's nothing stupid about being a hero," Hermione said, wide-eyed, as she took one of his hands into hers. He looked at their hands, and then back at the floor.

"The only real option I have is to become a private brewer, and even then people won't trust me not to poison them."

"I trust you, Severus. And I'll help you. I promise."

**

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**

Any ideas as to what Severus could do? They can be as outlandish as you want! I was thinking he could perhaps record audio books. What do you reckon?


	26. Staff Meeting

"Staff Meeting"

"And how are you going with Miss Granger, Severus?" Minerva asked. She was conducting an unofficial staff meeting, and he was happy to let her do it. He didn't want to be worrying about things like that anymore, now that he was finally free of orders.

"She's accepted my proposal, for the time being," he said.

"What do you mean, 'for the time being'?" she asked, narrowing her eyes. He sighed.

"She rejected me at first; but I said that she needed to be engaged soon. I've given her ten months to find her 'true love'—though, with any luck, she may regain her memories in that time instead, and she'll think logically—and she can break off the engagement as soon as she _finds_ her 'true love', and she can marry him instead."

"Oh, _Severus_," Minerva said, and all the other teachers looked at him sympathetically. "You know that you can't let her get away. You're her only hope of being safe with this law."

"Don't you think I know that?" he sniped. "Fear not, _Minerva_. I have a plan."

"You do? What is it?" Professor Sinistra asked, worried about the girl who was one of her favourite students.

"I'm going to… '_woo_' her… in secret," he said, disgusted with the kinds of things he was having to say. 'True love', 'woo'. What he said next was the icing on the cake. "I intend to become her… 'secret admirer', and hopefully the only one. And I've got to make sure that I don't know about her secret admirer. She may think that I wouldn't approve, and therefore go behind my back with this, which could work in my favour, if she's more receptive to me in letter form. Complicated it may be; but it could save her life."

"Very well thought out," Minerva said, nodding approvingly, and they moved on to the next item on the agenda.

**

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**

Who approves of this plan? I thought it logical, and a very Slytherin thing to do. I have yet to decide if Hermione will work out that it's him, and at which stage she would work it out. The advantage is that he won't have to disguise his writing, as she will have forgotten what it looked like.

By the way, I'm loving some of your job suggestions for Severus, and I'll take some seriously into account. However, I don't think _he_ will. But we'll see...

Okay, I've also got to tell you all about this book that will be coming out in some months time. It's called _London's Burning_, and it's by an Australian chap called David Byerlee. I helped him reduce the word length of the novel, and it's being published by Caffeine Nights. It involves politics, people trafficking, religion, and terrorism. So if this kind of thing interests you, keep an eye out for when it's released, and contact me if you have any inquiries.


	27. The First Letter

"The First Letter"

Severus wasn't around the next morning, as he had been having breakfast back in the Great Hall ever since she had reluctantly accepted his proposal of marriage. She hoped that he wasn't _too_ hurt, but she suspected that he was only trying to protect her by marrying her. _Surely_ if they had been in love before she would have remembered him above all else.

And yet that Rod—no, was it Roland?—had claimed that there was something 'special' between them, which led her to wonder. But he tried to attack her, so she didn't trust him. That black-haired chap she had seen outside the doors a few times—was it Harvey?—he hadn't frightened her too much, and she wondered whether she should ask for him to visit her, in case _he_ could jog her memory.

While she pondered over this, a tapping drew her attention to the window. An owl was outside, and she let it in, now used to the idea of owls acting as homing pigeons. She pulled off the letter, and the owl immediately flew away again, not waiting for something to eat, nor waiting for a reply like some had done before.

"Okay," she mumbled, and she opened the envelope cautiously. A piece of harmless-looking parchment fell out.

_Dearest Hermione,_

_I know you are betrothed, but I had to tell you how I feel, in case there's a chance that you may leave _him _before you marry. I've taken every precaution to make sure that my letter got through this time, and hope that you won't mind if I continue to write to you._

_If you want me to stop at any time, just tell me. This time the owl was instructed to leave straight away, but will wait next time._

_Just don't break my heart straight away._

_Love,_

_Your Long-Time Secret Admirer._

**

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**

I hope this won't end up being too cheesy in any way: cheesy marriage law fic, cheesy amnesia fic, or cheesy secret admirer fic. I'll attempt to be as original as possible, and have some _**fabulous**_** ideas for later; so I hope that you'll stick around for the rest of the story.**


	28. Keeping it from Severus

"Keeping it from Severus"

Hermione was still pondering over the anonymous letter when Severus came for one of his evening visits. Having been a war hero, he was exempt from the usual visiting hours; even more as Hermione's fiancé. Only the staff at Hogwarts knew about their engagement, as they didn't want the bad press that would doubtlessly come with a Death Eater marrying one of the Golden Trio, even if that Death Eater had been a spy. He was still the murderer of Albus Dumbledore.

"Good evening, Hermione," he said, and she looked up. Her hands, which were still clutching the letter, retreated under her blanket as quick as lightning. He didn't seem to notice—not even a raised eyebrow—but she still felt as thought she looked guilty.

"H-hello, Severus," she replied, and she cleared her throat. "How are you this evening?"

"Well," he said, and he sat in his usual chair. "You?"

"All right," she said, and she look down. She pulled her hands out from underneath the blanket, leaving behind the letter, and she smiled up at him shakily.

"I brought another book for you," he told her, drawing it out from underneath his black cloak. "T. S. Eliot's poems about cats. I thought it would be appropriate because of your own cat."

"I have a cat?" she asked, her eyes shining. "Where? What's his name? Or… or her name?"

"_His_ name is Crookshanks," Severus replied, cocking his head. "Interesting. I would have thought you more likely to assume that it was a _female_ cat. Maybe your subconscious remembers things that your conscious mind doesn't. That ought to help with finding a way to regain your memories. Yes. I'll speak to the other staff members about it."

They talked stiltedly for a little while longer, and then Severus left, leaving behind the poetry book.

**

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**

Well, this was a neat little intermediary kind of chapter, wasn't it? I hope so, anyway.


	29. Olfactory Sense

"Olfactory Sense"

Severus consulted many books about memory and psychology. One Muggle book about amnesia suggested that 'smell' was one of the most powerful triggers for memories; so he started to consult with her friends.

While speaking with Slughorn about memory potions and their effectiveness, he discovered that the first time the ageing professor met Hermione, she answered his question about Amortentia—naturally, with the greatest accuracy, earning her points for Gryffindor.

"Did she say what it smelt like?" Severus asked, and Slughorn thought for a moment.

"I can't quite remember… but we could look at the memory in Dumbledore's Pensieve," he replied. So they hurried to the headmaster's office and viewed the memory.

When they emerged, Severus thought about what he had learned.

"Mown grass, new parchment, and something else," he murmured.

"Pity we can't ask her what it was," Slughorn said, seeing where Severus was going with this.

"Where am I supposed to get freshly mowed grass?" he asked, running his hands through his hair. "New parchment is easy, but…"

"Maybe just a handful of grass will do," his former mentor said.

"Hmm."

"Either way, Severus, we must continue to do research. After all, it wasn't a bump to the head that caused her to forget, but magic."

"Yes… trying to save my life," he muttered. "Maybe we must consider the option…"

"The option?" Slughorn prompted once he realised that Severus had trailed off.

"We may have to try what she did for me… _on_ her," he said slowly.

"Now, now, Severus. We'll continue to examine the snake poison."

"Arthur Weasley didn't lose his memory!" Severus exclaimed. He sighed, and collapsed into his chair. Slughorn sat opposite, studying his former student.

"We'll get to the bottom of it, Severus," he said seriously. "If it's any help, I've called in some favours. It pays to have established the Slug Club," he added, and he laughed hollowly. Severus looked up.

"Thank you, Horace," he said.

**

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**

Okay, I'm changing the genre. I originally planned for this to be somewhat funny, but it's gone in quite a different direction. It'll be 'General' for now.

**Any complaints?**


	30. Brewing the Amortentia

"Brewing the Amortentia"

"Why, hello, my dear!"

"Uh… h-hello," Hermione said in reply to Slughorn's cheerful greeting.

"Horace Slughorn, dear; your former potions professor," he said, holding out a hand. "I wasn't sure if you recalled me from when we were re-introduced after… uh…"

"Yes," she said, nodding as she remembered. "How can I help you, professor?"

"I thought I'd come and check up on you, say hello, and tell you that we've hit on something that may help you regain some of your memories. Of course, you shouldn't get your hopes up, but…"

"Oh, what is it?" she asked, sitting up straight in bed. He sat on the chair beside her.

"I don't suppose you remember anything about Amortentia, do you?" he said, and she shook her head. "Well, it's the most potent love potion in the world." Her eyes widened, and he realised what she was thinking. "N-no! We're not going to _give_ you any of the potion. Please, let me explain." She relaxed, and he continued. "When it has been brewed correctly, the smell of the potion, unique to each person, is whatever attracts them the most."

"How fascinating," Hermione said, her academic side kicking in. "So you want me to smell the potion so that I can find my true love?"

"Severus said that, after consulting many different books, he found the olfactory sense—smell, you know—is a powerful trigger for memories," Slughorn explained. "So he's busy brewing it at the moment, and will bring a sample of the potion. Anyway, why would you need to find your true love when you've already got Severus?"

"Sorry," she said, flustered. "I got confused for a moment. So that's where he is? Making the potion?" Slughorn nodded. "Well, thank you for telling me, sir. Do you… I don't suppose you know what it smells like for me?"

"I'm afraid only you'll know that, dear," he replied. She nodded again, slower this time, and they chatted for awhile. It would be a few days before Hermione saw Severus again.

**

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**

Yes. Really haven't got too much humour in this at the moment. Well, we've still a long way to go yet, so don't give up hope, my readers. Don't give up hope!


	31. Here

"Here"

"Severus! You're back!" Hermione exclaimed when he finally strode into the hospital wing carrying a vial of some potion. "I haven't seen you in ages. Where have you been hiding?"

"In the dungeons, like a good, murdering Death Eater," he said. Her eyes widened.

"W-what?" she asked, wondering what the hell she'd got herself into.

"Here," he said, rolling his eyes, holding out the vial. She undid the top, and lifted it to her lips. "No!" He jumped forward, and put the cork back on before she could drink any of it. "Didn't Horace tell you about Amortentia?"

"Oh, so this is it," she said, and she took the cork back off the top. Smoke spiralled out of the top of the vial. "Okay. I won't drink it. I thought it might be medicinal…"

"Well, it may help you revive some of your memories, but not if taken internally," he muttered, crossing his arms as he watched her move the bottle underneath her nose. She took a deep breath and sighed, smiling. He watched her, entranced by the way her lips curved up so naturally. He forced himself to make eye contact again, and just in time.

"Mmm," she murmured. "I can smell books. Books, and… and roses, and… and…"

"And?" he said, prompting her to continue.

"I'm not sure," she said with a frown, taking a deeper smell. How confusing. She just couldn't describe it. Frown still in place, she held it up. "What do you smell? Just out of curiosity."

"Hmm." He leant forward, placing his hand over her smaller one, the one holding the vial of Amortentia. As he lifted it slightly, his hair fell down across his face, blocking him from view. Hermione sat up a bit to brush it out of the way, and gasped.

**

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**

Mwa-ha-ha-ha!

**Don't you just love it when I start an author note like that? Okay, you probably don't care one way or the other. And indifference is fine. Better than hate any day, quite frankly.**

**Did you enjoy this chapter? If so, let me know!**


	32. The Smell of Amortentia

"The Smell of Amortentia"

Severus frowned. "What is it?" he asked.

"N-nothing. What can you smell?"

"You do realise that it will be different for me, don't you?" She nodded. "All right, then." He sniffed at the potion, still holding onto her hand as it clutched the phial steadily. "I can smell… parchment." Funny, he thought. Just like she used to. "Healing potions, as well. And…" It was Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. This wasn't good. "I… I can't identify the last one, either. But it doesn't matter."

"D-doesn't it?" she said.

"What's most important is that your memory returns. Now, tell me. Has this helped you at all?" He knew it hadn't. She smelt something different this time around. No longer cut grass and parchment. It was books and r… roses. It couldn't be… could it?

"I sort of remember seeing the potion before, but it wasn't here," she said, frowning. He hit himself on the head.

"The Pensieve," he muttered, and she looked at him.

"The what?"

"I have an idea, and feel stupid for not having thought of it before," he said, letting go of her hand and straightening up. "My only consolation is that no one else has suggested it. We really must be muddled after the war."

"Naturally!" she exclaimed. "No comparison. People have died; I've only lost my memory."

"Yes; but you're so bright that it's a grave pity that you cannot help us," he said, running his fingers through his hair. Hermione watched the action, and looked down. Severus held out his other hand, and she gave him back the potion. "Thank you. As soon as you're well enough, we'll try something new. You should build up your strength."

"Whatever you say, Severus," she replied, and she glanced up at him. "Will I see you again tomorrow?"

"Perhaps," he said.

But right now, he had some love letters to write.

**

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**

Does that answer your question about the third thing that Hermione could smell? I hope so. I didn't want to be explicit, but the implication is certainly there.


	33. Another Letter

"Another Letter"

_Dearest Hermione,_

_You've been so kind to write back to me. This past week has filled me with hope, ever since you first replied. That you are so receptive to a correspondence gives me the confidence to continue under the name you gave me._

_You may have said not to 'wax poetic' about your appearance; but whenever I look at photographs of you in the paper, and wish that you could care about me, I cannot help myself. But, in deference to your wishes, I confine myself to writing these thoughts in a journal. If ever you can find it in your heart to love me back, then I may let you read it._

_How are you feeling today, my dear one? Better? I hope so. And how are you faring with your fiancé? Let me know if he behaves like a tyrant to you, and I'll help you think of some revenge._

_Love,_

_Horatio._

Severus snorted as he read the name she had given him. Was he named after Horatio Nelson or Horatio Hornblower? Or did she just like the name?

He needed to think more about what he'd smelt in the Amortentia. All the signs pointed to him being attracted to her. The parchment—her replies to his secret admirer letters?—was doubly significant, as that was one of the original things she smelt in her sixth year class. The healing potions… well, he'd spent so much time with her, administering the potions. As for the Sleakeazy's hair product…

Lily had never used Sleakeazy's. Never. She had no need of it.

Hermione smelt roses—the roses from his proposal? Books; she'd always been a bibliophile. But then, he'd been reading poetry to her lately.

What the hell was the third thing?

"Better send this off," he muttered, and he took the letter to the owlery. He was determined not to lie in the letters. Equivocate, yes. But never lie. She'd never forgive him for that…

Assuming that he ever revealed himself to her. After all, there was a chance that he may not need to write to her anymore. Not if his deductions were right.

**

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**

I don't want Severus to be too out of character. I figure this is the sort of thing he might have written to Lily if he was trying to woo her, without scaring her off. Also, I'm using what our education system would call 'sophisticated language' (big words), which is more his style.

**Also, the fact that he's attracted to Sleakeazy's doesn't mean that he'd prefer her to have straight hair. It's just that she's been known to use it, so it's the kind of thing he'd associated with her.**


	34. Hermione's Reaction

"Hermione's Reaction"

Hermione sighed, folding the letter. This was the fourth that she had received from her secret admirer. She couldn't think who it was; probably because she couldn't remember anyone that she knew, and therefore had no way of guessing who it might be. Whoever he was, he didn't talk flowery nonsense; nor did he speak down to her. 'Receptive to a correspondence'… He was intelligent. Unless, of course, someone else was writing the letters for her mystery pen pal, like in _The Harvey Girls_.

"_The Harvey Girls_?" she said out loud. "Where did _that_ come from?"

"What's that, dear?" Madame Pomfrey asked, coming over with Hermione's potions.

'In deference to your wishes… how are you faring… behaves like a tyrant… help you think of some revenge…'

"Miss Granger? Miss Granger?"

"Yes?" she asked, pulling herself from thoughts of the letter. She blinked the medi-witch into focus.

"Potions," she said, holding up the tray, smiling. As soon as the word 'potions' was spoken, Hermione's thoughts turned to Severus. She swallowed, feeling guilty that she was thinking about him when she had such lovely letters.

Drinking her potions, she thought about her 'Horatio'. 'This past week has filled me with hope…'

She placed the empty vials on the tray, and sighed.

"A knut for your thoughts, my dear?" Madame Pomfrey said.

"I've got a secret admirer," Hermione began, and the medi-witch nodded. "He writes such nice letters; but I've no idea who it might be, because I don't remember anyone. Only the people I've met since I've woken."

"Do you feel that he's 'the one'?" Madame Pomfrey asked, smiling.

"I won't know until we meet. If we ever _do_ meet."

"Never mind. Everything will sort itself out in time. Just you wait."

"Good night, Madame Pomfrey."

"Good night, Miss Granger."

**

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**

Happy about her reaction? I'll try to put in some more humour. Also, we need to look at some of the other couples, don't we? The law doesn't just affect Hermione and Severus, after all. And I can't help but feel sorry for the people who are underage, who have an 'understanding' with people _**of**_** age. We never hear about them, do we?**


	35. Harry Potter vs the Ministry

"Harry Potter vs. the Ministry"

Everyone had pinned their hopes on Harry for years; he was used to it. Now it was no longer their _lives _at stake; just their _love _lives.

Some of them thought their love lives to be more important.

Ginny was in her seventh year, and fortunately of age. Harry was delighted, as it meant that they could marry. Ron was at a loose ends—he wanted Hermione, but wasn't allowed to see her any more, as he had frightened her so much. He tried to send owls, but to no avail. Either somebody was blocking her mail, or she was refusing to reply.

But there were students in the fifth and sixth years—some even younger—who had 'understandings' with people of age. While some of the sixth years could get in by the end of the year, they still couldn't get engaged first.

Fortunately for most of the wizarding population, someone had leaked the idea that you could get engaged for convenience, and split up once you're able to marry the person you really want to marry. It seemed that Severus wasn't the only one with a logical mind.

The Ministry of Magic had quickly tried to pass a law stating that engagements couldn't be broken; but with Harry Potter behind them, the public railed against this, and the law was tossed out the proverbial window.

However…

_**HARRY POTTER PUSHES CELIBACY**_

_In a startling new development regarding the Marriage Law, Harry Potter has spoken out against the Ministry of Magic yet again. This time, it is regarding the unfairness that the law shows towards underage witches and wizards who are already promised to others._

_The-Boy-Who-Saved-Us-All has said that unhappy couples should throw the law back in the Ministry's face by refusing to procreate. As our readers know, the law was created to repopulate Wizarding Britain. Mr. Potter states:_

"_The Ministry hates to fail. By enforcing such an archaic law, they are effectively alienating future parents and future voters. Failure again."_

_We couldn't agree more, Mr. Potter._

**

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**

We'll get a bit more of Activist Harry, and give Hermione and Severus a break for a bit. If you want more of them, read some of my other stories. I do have a solution for the problem regarding underage witches and wizards, by the way. All shall be revealed…


	36. Ms Skeeter Dares

"Ms. Skeeter Dares"

The marriage law had rocked the wizarding world; and that included the press. Rita Skeeter was outside the gates of Hogwarts at all hours of the day, trying to get past the wards. The others were handling the interviews with Harry Potter just fine; she wanted to see Hermione Granger.

That girl was a fascinating subject. It had been so easy to write scandalous articles about the Gryffindor Princess. Now that she had no memory—and was engaged to Dumbledore's murderer—in an act of romantic heroism… well, naturally she wanted in on the story. An exclusive interview. Preferably without Miss Granger's fiancé around, ready to hex her out of Hogwarts through the nearest wall.

"I wonder…" Ms. Skeeter murmured, a journalistic glint taking over her pupils. She looked around, saw that no one was watching, and applied what she had learned of mathematics from her early years at school. She gauged the distance, the angle, and the rough speed and force of one of her spells. With a prematurely triumphant smile, she carefully aimed her wand at the ground, and shouted, "Stupefy!"

She flew through the air… over the magical barriers… and straight into a tree.

A flash from down below told her what she _really_ didn't want to know. The _Prophet_'s photographer had got a picture.

"Aren't you supposed to be on my side?" she bellowed, and she only got sniggers in reply. She had the funny sensation of being lifted into the air. It was Severus Snape, levitating her over the barrier. As soon as she was on the other side, the magic blocked the spell from getting through, and the levitation broke. She fell to the ground with a cry, and struggled to her feet, furious with embarrassment.

"Have a nice day," Severus said, and he walked back up to the school, smirking. He couldn't wait to tell Hermione about this.

**

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**

I just wanted to put this in here. Hopefully this will provide some of the promised humour. Has it? Do let me know.


	37. Unofficial Census

"Unofficial Census"

A census went around to all the wizards and witches throughout Britain, even to those not yet affected by the marriage law. Harry had created it, with some little input from Ginny, who he intended to marry during the Easter holidays. She would be allowed to floo to his house every night, and even spend the weekends with him. The marriage law had certainly made allowances for wedded students.

In short, the census was asking five things:

Had you been considering marriage before the law was introduced?

Have you had to marry/become engaged to someone you do not know, or do not like, or both?

Do you already have an understanding with someone outside of the age limit as specified by the new law?

Had you already been planning to have children at some stage during your life?

Do you see this law as creating something akin to a totalitarian society*?

(*Dictatorship.)

The results of the unofficial census were as follows:

No: 27% Yes: 73%

Marry: No: 18% Yes: 82% Engaged: No: 44% Yes: 56%

No: 32% Yes: 68%

No: 33% Yes: 67%

No: 0% Yes: 100%

Harry presented them to the Ministry, threatening to have the results printed in every wizarding newspaper and magazine in the United Kingdom.

"What do _you_ suggest, then?" was the question asked of him by the Wizengamot and other Ministry officials. Harry, thanks to Ginny, had an answer. He presented it, and waited for approval.

"Do you think this will work?" Kingsley asked, in his role of acting-Minister. He was secretly impressed with Harry's work on this crusade of his.

"How can it not?" Harry asked, shrugging. He smiled. "I'm sure it will be extremely… popular." As every parliamentary witch and wizard looked at each other with gleams in their eyes he thanked the creators of _Yes, Minister_ for teaching him that politicians always like to make 'popular' decisions. Oh, this plan was a complete shoe-in.

**

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**

What is the plan, you ask? Well, you shall find out in the next chapter. Toodles!


	38. An Article

"An Article"

_**MARRIAGE LAW AMENDMENT**_

_The saviour of the wizarding world, Harry Potter, has once again come to our rescue with his fight against the marriage law. Late yesterday evening, the Ministry agreed to some changes Mr. Potter suggested._

_The maximum age requirement has been abolished._

_Divorce is legal after five years of marriage._

_The Promise Ring Amendment has been introduced._

_The Promise Ring Amendment, as Acting Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt described it, is a way for underage witches and wizards to become engaged to others who are of age, or come of age before their intendeds._

_The teenagers in question exchange promise rings—like engagement rings—only they are more binding. At the moment, engagements can be broken, after Mr. Potter railed against the Ministry when they tried to amend that. However, the vow taken with a promise ring is permanent._

_Mr. Potter is pleased with the outcome._

"_I wasn't sure how well it would go," he told _The Daily Prophet_. "Of course, it would be great to see the law go altogether. One day that may happen. But this is no small victory for us. Yes, I'm very happy with this outcome. And I'd like to thank my fiancé, Ginny Weasley, for helping me in this campaign."_

_For more details on the amendments, go to pages six, seven, and eight._

Severus snorted. So, the boy wonder had done it again. At least this way he'd have fewer moping and moaning students in the classes. He just hoped that the girl students would have sense enough not to go to labour during any of his defence classes.

It really was very good of Minerva to give him back his job like that. She would most definitely be invited to his wedding. His only hope was that his family could live in relative peace with the Dark Lord finally gone.

**

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**

I hope you all approve of Harry and Ginny's plan. Yes, we'll see more of them. After all, with Ginny still a student at Hogwarts, Harry will probably be coming to visit when it gets nearer to exam times, and she has to stay at the school to study. Seventh year now, after all.


	39. Reply

"Reply"

The owl he had sent with his twentieth secret admirer note returned to him, a reply attached to its leg. He felt his heart quicken. Yes; he definitely cared about this girl. What was it he used to smell in Amortentia before he met Hermione? His obsession with Lily was all quickly becoming a memory. Maybe that's what love did.

Love? Oh, hell.

_Dear Horatio,_

_Why don't you tell me more about your work? Surely I couldn't work out who you are based on that alone? You have my complete permission to equivocate._

_Yes, I'm very pleased with the result of Harry's crusade against the MoM. You're quite right; they fully deserved to be taken down by more than just a few pegs. In my opinion, the whole washing line. But perhaps I'm being uncharitable._

_Your comments about Verde Flatlake's article on the preservation of dragon heartstrings… well, did I detect a hint of a scathing tone?_

_Secretly yours,_

_Hermione._

Secretly his? She'd never said that before. It had always been 'From, Hermione.' Well, she didn't know that she was also his publicly. Maybe he needed to be a bit more forward in his attentions as Severus, and not as Horatio? Yes, she was supposed to be concentrating on regaining her memory, and secretly finding her 'true love'. But that didn't mean that he couldn't fight to hold onto her, did it? He could even tell her of his intentions so that there would be no misunderstandings when he began to pursue her. He felt compelled to reply.

That was it! As Severus, he'd buy her an owl.

_Dearest Hermione,_

_How right you are. You're not just a beautiful girl, but an intelligent one; you could easily narrow down who I am based on my work alone. I would rather wait to reveal myself to you._

_The Ministry is run by idiots. Your analogy of a washing line is deadly accurate, my dear._

_As to Flatlake's article, you have neither agreed nor disagreed with my remarks. Are _you_ equivocating? And do _I_ detect a hint of sarcasm?_

_How is your memory coming along?_

_Loving you always,_

_Horatio._

**

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**

Gee, you must be excited. Two letters in the one chapter! And one of them is from Hermione. Fabulous.


	40. An Owl for Hermione

"An Owl for Hermione"

She didn't know what had made her write that. 'Secretly yours'? How would Severus take it if he found out about this correspondence? She was going to be moved from the hospital wing tomorrow, and would be doing an apprenticeship with Professor McGonagall to give her something to do while she tried to recover her memories.

Don't be ridiculous, she told herself. He… he doesn't care about me. I've been encouraged to find someone else so that we don't have to marry. I'm certainly going to continue writing to Horatio. It just feels right. But if only I had an owl of my own…

As if answering some kind of fateful summons, she heard a hoot. Hermione swivelled her head around, but saw no owl outside. It was then that she noticed that Severus had entered the room, and was standing there. Holding a cage. With an owl in it.

"Wha…"

"I bought you an owl," he said unnecessarily, and he walked forward. He handed over the cage. "Female."

"She's beautiful, Severus," Hermione said, stroking the feathers of the bed through the cage. "Thank you. Why did you buy her for me?"

Severus wasn't going to tell her that he intended to court her. Not yet. Instead, his shoulders rose and fell just a fraction. "You're my fiancé. Call it an engagement present. I believe that's the done thing?"

"It's wonderful," she replied. "But I don't have anything to give you. What would you like?"

"It's not necessary…"

"Nonsense!" she cried. "Tell me what you'd like."

"If you're that insistent, I'll think of something," he said, and he rolled his eyes as she nodded eagerly. "I'll leave you alone now. What are you going to call her?"

Hermione looked at the owl, and let her out of the cage. The tawny bird flew onto her arm.

"Eileen," she murmured, tilting her head as Severus stiffened. "What do you think?"

"Where did you get that name?" he asked, and she frowned, still looking at the bird.

"I don't know," she said. "Maybe it's my mother's name?"

"Perhaps," he replied, and he left the room quickly.

**

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**

Just to clear up any confusion, Severus _**is**_** Horatio. I'm sorry if I didn't make that clear enough. I enjoy making things ambiguous—it comes from writing mysteries, I suppose—so perhaps it just comes naturally to me. Of course, Eileen is Severus' mother's name.**


	41. Harry's Visit

"Harry's Visit"

"You've done well with the marriage law," Hermione said, feeling a bit awkward. This was the boy everyone talked about, who had been there the day that redhead tried to attack her. She had been understandably nervous, but he allayed her fears with his kindness and small talk. He had talked to her about Quidditch, but she couldn't get herself excited about the subject. He had laughed, and said that that was just like her, and that she had never been interested in the sport… except, perhaps, its players.

"While none of the younger students were allowed to participate in the battle, some did anyway," Harry said, shrugging. "Some of them died; most of them lived. There are so many people out there—particularly in the Ministry of Magic—who didn't help defeat Voldemort, and aren't affected by the law. I felt that I owed it to the younger generation."

"What about future children?"

"Hopefully, by the time they come of age, the law will have been abolished," he replied, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the ministry's attitude towards its people. "After all, this is just being used to increase the wizarding population."

"Oh."

"Which means that you and Snape have to… you know… ahem. Have children."

Hermione turned white as a sheet. "I'd forgotten that."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to remind you like that…"

"No, no, no. It's fine. I, um… what do you think of Severus?" She bit her lower lip, again reminding Harry of the old Hermione.

"I never trusted him when I was younger, and then I thought that he had betrayed us when he killed Professor Dumbledore," he said. Hermione remembered reading about that in the newspapers, marvelling at her fiancé's heroics, and tragic story. "But now I'd trust him with my life. And," he said, and he held Hermione's hand gently, "I know that I'd trust him with the life of my best friend. Okay?"

"Okay," she said, and she smiled in earnest.

"What have you named your owl?" he asked, changing the subject. He remembered Hedwig with a pang of sadness. "You said that Sn… that Professor Snape gave it to you?"

"Yes," she replied, nodding eagerly. "I named her Eileen."

"I… see," Harry said, and he slowly realised that she had no idea; no idea that she had named the owl after Professor Snape's mother.

**

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**

Longer chapter than usual. Hmm.

**For those who love animals and don't mind donating online, the branch of the Animal Welfare League at the Gold Coast (Queensland) has gone up in flames with other businesses. The AWL is the only one without insurance, and must now rely on donations. As soon as they set up a donations thing online specifically to rebuild—or whatever—I plan to donate.**

**Just thought I'd put it out there. Ciao!**


	42. The Other Visit

"The Other Visit"

Harry went to visit Severus after Hermione began to write a letter to someone. The ex-headmaster bade him enter, so he did.

"Potter," Severus said, barely glancing up from his work. "What brings you here?"

"I came to visit Hermione for awhile," he said, and Severus dropped his quill. He raised his head, and met Harry's cool green eyes with his own black ones.

"Did it go well?" he asked, and Harry nodded.

"She also showed me her owl," he said, and Severus almost cringed. "Funny name for an owl, isn't it? 'Eileen'. Did you suggest it?"

"No," Severus replied sharply. "You can choose either to believe me or not; but if it makes you feel any better, we can look at my memory in the Pensieve. You certainly have a penchant for doing that, haven't you, Potter?"

"You gave me those memories about my mother," Harry said mildly. "I was just curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat," he said, sounding bitter.

"Then it's a good thing Professor McGonagall isn't here," The-Boy-Who-Lived replied, and Severus gave a hollow laugh.

"Merlin, yes. What can I do for you, Potter? Not that I'll necessarily help, but it's polite to ask."

"Well, I wanted to know the significance of the owl," Harry said, and he sat in the chair in front of Severus' desk. "Why did you give it to Hermione?"

"She's my fiancé. I owe her something considering that she may end up having to be stuck with me for the next five years, and bear at least one of my children."

"Are you planning to court my friend properly?"

"I don't see what business it is of yours!"

"Look, there's another reason I wanted to see you, sir," Harry said, giving up the fight with a roll of his eyes. "I want Hermione to regain her memory, and soon. So I'm going to send all of Sirius' family books to you, all right? See if you can find something in there to help her." He strode to the door and left the office, but not before he heard Severus' quiet reply.

"Thank you, Harry."

**

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**

Getting along nicely here. This story will be easier to keep up with, because of the shorter chapters. I know a lot of people out there who'd like to see longer posts, but I'd prefer this story just to go along in short instalments.


	43. Forewarned is well Forewarned

"Forewarned is… well… Forewarned"

This time it was a novel, _Jane Eyre_, that Severus was going to read to Hermione. He had been thinking about an appropriate novel to read her, as there was only so much poetry that he could stand. A girly novel seemed appropriate; but anything modern, or anything by Jane Austen, would be more likely to make him gag than medical textbooks. Something Muggle would be the most appropriate, as she still couldn't remember enough of the wizarding world to appreciate their literature. At least _Jane Eyre_ was darker than most.

He had begun reading the books that Harry had given him from Sirius' estate. There were a few false starts, even after he had got past all of the curses. After his name had been cleared, it turned out that Dumbledore had left him most of his estate, including a sizeable amount of his fortune… and a virtual treasure trove of books.

"For a brave man and bookworm," his will had said. Hmph. Well, he was grateful for the books. Most of the money he had given to the war orphans' fund, and not as a good-will-buying manoeuvre as that witch-with-a-death-wish Rita Skeeter had suggested.

Hermione looked eager when Severus sat beside her, announcing his attention to read the classic Bronte novel.

There was something else he wanted to announce to her before they started.

"Oh?" she asked when he said that. "What's that?"

"I thought that I should inform you of my intention to court you," he said, raising an eyebrow at Hermione's surprised expression. Her mouth was open in an 'o'. "I intend to court you, and make you my own. I thought that I should warn you, so that you'd know something of what to expect. It's the done thing, I believe."

"O-oh."

"Shall I begin?" he asked.

She blinked. Did he mean the book… or the courtship? Either way, she knew her answer.

"Yes."

**

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**

There! Now he's told her, and she's given her answer… in a roundabout way. And who got the book reference? A young woman, considered plain, who falls in love with an older man, also considered plain, and with riches (care of Dumbledore, in this case).


	44. Acceptance

"Acceptance"

_Dear Horatio,_

_I've been doing a lot of thinking, now that I'm out of the hospital wing. I think that I may need to accept my amnesia. Not that I'd say that I've given up hope; but it's just a matter of having accepted my situation. After all, not many people get a second chance. Okay, so it isn't a second chance. But without the memory of past mistakes to influence me—and not just my mistakes, either—I get an almost clean slate. My proverbial slate has traces of lead pencil from being used so much over the years._

_I know. I'm over-using a metaphor. I guess I'm just babbling, aren't I? You're probably bored out of your mind._

_Did I tell you that Severus is reading me _Jane Eyre_? It doesn't seem familiar, which means that I probably haven't read it. I'm really enjoying it. Edward Rochester is a kind of Byronic hero, isn't he? Of course, you probably haven't read it before. But I highly recommend it. Maybe it helps that Severus has a soothing voice. I'm sure that you have, too._

_Love,_

_Hermione._

_My dear Hermione,_

_Did you mean it? When you said 'Love, Hermione'? I'm sorry, I really shouldn't ask. I've asked nothing like that of you before. As for you babbling, I find it utterly charming… at least, in letter form. Though in real life, I can just imagine you flushed and flustered. No. You could never bore me, Hermione._

_Personally, I have read _Jane Eyre_ a number of times. To call myself a true reader, I have always been of the opinion that I need to read something of every genre. It's one of the few romance novels that I can stomach, and it's quite decent at that._

_You have had something precious taken from you, one of the most precious things, the one true thing that makes each of us unique. Don't accept your amnesia just yet. I'm sure that everything's being done to help you._

_Love,_

_Horatio._

**

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**

I'm not doing too many letters, am I? I get very insecure about my writing, due to my low self-esteem. That's why positive reviews excite me so. But I'll warn you now: Hermione's memories will return soon, and then we'll see what happens.


	45. Additional Help

"Additional Help"

Sometimes the dead have their uses. Lily Potter was one example. Albus Dumbledore was another.

As it turned out, the Ministry had been holding back important information. The former headmaster had left a considerable amount of his fortune to Severus, as well as his entire collection of books. Severus pounced on these as soon as they were delivered to Spinner's End, and sorted through them with great speed. Any books which he thought could help Hermione regain her memory he put aside, not caring about anything else at that moment. There were only five strong possibilities, and around a dozen more which _might_ help, though he doubted it. He was, after all, a strong judge of books.

"Right," he said, not even thinking about the money he had been left. There was also a country estate bequeathed to him, and Dumbledore had even bought a London flat, which Severus could sell if he didn't like it. But all that mattered at the moment was helping his fiancé—and the girl he had inadvertently fallen for—to remember her past, no matter what it might cost him in the long run. He hoped that, among the other more horrible things that she would hopefully still forget… he hoped that her hatred of him would remain forgotten.

Taking the five books, sliding them into a large bag he had brought with him, he immediately organised the rest, and heaped protective charms on them. Once he was satisfied, he returned to Hogwarts, eager to get started on reading.

"Please, let this help her," he murmured to any deity who might hear. He settled down in his single armchair by the fireplace, there only for the purposes of flooing. Stretching his long legs out in front of him, he opened the first book, and began to read.

**

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**

Books! Hurrah for books! We love books!


	46. Discoveries

"Discoveries"

There were three spell books, one potions book, and one book more that was more along the lines of divination than actual magic. Severus knew better than to test out memory spells on a person when they hadn't been hit with one in the first place. Potions seemed like the best bet; and there were several different potions in the book that he thought might help. So he and Slughorn set about brewing them at once. There were no antidotes. The book explained that, if a potion didn't work instantly, it wouldn't work at all, and that there'd be no side-effects.

"How reassuring," Severus sneered when he had read that part aloud to his old professor.

"Cheer up, Severus," Slughorn replied. "We'll be done with these in no time. I've nearly finished mine here. We only need one dose per potion for her, don't we?"

"Yes."

"So, go and finish yours, and we'll try them both on her."

"The book says one day at a time."

"Shall we try mine first, then?"

Severus sighed. He wanted his potion to be the one to restore her memories; and yet, he was still afraid of what she might see. Also, if there was to be failure first, he didn't want his potion to be the first failure.

"Very well," he said, and he started on the second lot of stirring while Slughorn put in the last ingredient of his potion.

The next two days, Hermione tried the two different potions. Neither of them worked, so it was back to the books.

"Thank you for trying," she murmured to Severus, and she held his hand. He looked down at where they were joined, and then back at her eyes.

"This isn't over yet," he said; and, as he removed his hand from hers, he let the tips of his long fingers trace all the way from her wrist to her own fingertips. She shivered as he walked away.

**

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As of Monday, I'll be posting one chapter of each story a week; so, a chapter of one story is posted on Monday, and then the next chapter posted the next Monday. That way, I'll not only have more time for uni work, but you won't be bombarded by seven emails a day from me and you may get better quality work, though I make no guarantees.


	47. The Seventh Potion

"The Seventh Potion"

It took a week to find the right potion. Severus had a feeling about it from the beginning of the brewing process; whether it was a good feeling or a bad feeling, he wasn't sure. Slughorn also seemed to share his feeling—"happy dread" he called it—and helped brew the potion, as they alternated between chopping and stirring. It was an interesting but entrancing team, the two greatest brewers in Britain working together to save a girl's memory.

"I'll… I'll take it to her," Severus murmured, picking up the vial of the finished potion. They had allowed it to cool off, just as the instructions stated.

"Do you want me to go with you?" Slughorn asked, concerned by Severus' reticence.

"I have to do this alone. But… thank you. For the offer, for the help… Thank you, Horace."

"My pleasure, Severus."

Now Hermione and her fiancé were alone in her rooms. He stood before her nervously, and handed over the phial with shaking hands. He was tempted to drop it, delay the inevitable. He just knew that this would change things for the worse.

"Thank you," she said, accepting the potion. She was hesitant as well, but downed it, forcing herself to get it over with. Severus squatted down in front of her as she swallowed, and she glanced up at him while the potion ran through her system, consuming her, reaching her brain.

"For the record, I want you, Hermione," he said, and she shuddered as she closed her eyes.

"Then have…" she began, but she passed out as the potion worked its magic. Severus caught her as she fell forward into his arms. He lowered her to the floor, pulled out his wand, and revived her. Her eyes snapped open, and they slowly focussed on him.

"H… Hermione?" he asked.

"Hello, Professor Snape," she said, her eyes cold, and his heart froze.

**

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**

Now her memories have returned. Hur… rah?


	48. Her Terrible Reaction

"Her Terrible Reaction"

Looking back, Severus really wished that he hadn't given her the potion, no matter how happy it seemed to make her. He was selfish; he knew that. It's just that it was nice to have someone, to be courting someone. Now he had to stay away from her.

After her memories had returned, she had gotten the headache from hell. Not long after that, she had all but hexed him out the door.

"Do you expect me to marry you now?" she had asked. "Now that I've regained my memory, I can find someone who actually cares about me…"

"Hermione, be sensible," he had replied. "Be _logical_. You'll be safest with me. Why do you think…"

"That's only because I couldn't remember anything about magic!" she had exclaimed, brandishing her wand. The first spell to come to her mind had been the Patronus charm, so she tried it out. However, her happy memory apparently wasn't as strong as it used to be, and the otter didn't appear. She frowned, and racked her brain for a happier memory. She had eventually produced her otter Patronus. He didn't know that it was the memory of her last letter from Horatio that she thought of.

"There," she had finished triumphantly.

"Are you aware that Mr. Weasley is already engaged to Miss Brown?" Severus had asked, crossing his arms to conceal his shaking hands. He had grown more than used to the idea of being engaged to her.

"Someone else will want me," she had said, crossing her own arms. "And you're not the only wizard capable of protecting me. It's not as if there's as much danger anymore."

"So you'd prefer to marry a _real_ Death Eater, one who's trapped in Azkaban?"

Tilting her head, she had said one terrible word: "Yes."

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My bottom lip is trembling. Anywho. I've plotted to the last chapter, chapter 70. So now you know how long `twill be. Things took a different direction based on an inspired thought that I had. So… we're certainly more than halfway through. Hurrah!


	49. Further Correspondence

"Further Correspondence"

"_For the record, I want you…_"

Hermione tossed and turned on the couch in her quarters. She had forgotten that so many Death Eaters in Azkaban wanted to marry her. She sifted through all the proposals that she had received. Now that she had regained her memories, all owls were sent to her after being checked for traces of Dark Magic. No matter her protestations, danger remained, perhaps more so than before.

However, she was now free to write to Horatio without feeling guilty, without feeling as though she was betraying Sever… Professor Snape. An owl arrived from him, and she read through his letter. He casually mentioned that he had heard about the broken engagement. Hermione wondered if he was secretly delighted about this.

She pulled out some parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink. Sitting at her desk, she thought, and then began to write.

_My Horatio,_

_Yes, things are definitely over between Severus Snape and I. Are you happy about this? I ask, because I'd like to meet you sometime. In fact, I'd love to meet you. I've enjoyed writing to you. You make me feel wanted._

She almost wrote that no one wanted her, but knew that that would be a lie. Ron wanted her; Professor Snape wanted her. She sighed, and continued.

_So will you meet me one day? You see, I'm sure I love you back, assuming that this is all real, and not some practical joke. Please write back soon._

_Yours always,_

_Hermione_.

"Go on," she murmured to the owl, and it set off out the window with her reply. She tucked Horatio's letter into the diary she had kept. She had been keeping a journal ever since she awoke, just in case her memories since the Transference left. Fortunately, they hadn't… or was it _un_fortunately?

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Doo-dee-daa-dee-doo.

**I'll try to write more during the holidays, and try to post as often as possible. I don't want to have too much on my plate once we get down to assessment (though I should be getting down to assessment at the moment). While I'm here at Aunty Von's, I'll get as much written of this story as possible.**


	50. Logic Must Prevail

"Logic Must Prevail"

With her recovered memories, Hermione was no longer frightened of Ron. Therefore, she allowed him to visit her, as long as Harry was there as well. She didn't trust anyone anymore, and didn't like to be left alone. The only people she trusted now were Professor Snape and Horatio—and she hadn't even met _him_!

"Hello, `Mione," Ron said, scuffing the carpet.

"That's _Her_mione," she said, frowning.

"O-of course," he replied, blushing. He glanced at Harry, who rolled his eyes.

"Hello, Hermione," he said.

"Hello," she said, acknowledging them with two nods. "Please; sit." She waved to the couch, and the boys sat at either end. She took the armchair opposite, and waited.

"Hermione?" Ron began, and then he stopped. She raised her eyebrows. "Um…"

"What is it, Ron?" she asked, trying not to snap.

"Uh… well, you see, it's like this," he said. "It's the marriage law. Well, we've always been good friends, and we kissed before the battle, so I thought that… well, Harry told me that you fancied me in our sixth year…"

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "What the…"

"Do you really want to marry Snape?" Harry retorted. "I thought you'd be pleased that I got it out of the way for you."

"Out of the… out of the _way_?"

"Yeah…"

"Oh, _really_!" She crossed her arms, glowering at the boys. "So what are you trying to say, Ron?"

"Will you marry me?" Ron blurted out.

"Are you asking me to save yourself from the consequences of the law, or because you _want_ me?" Hermione asked.

"Well… you're subject to the law, too, and of course I want to marry you," he replied. Harry stayed right out of it, sinking back into the cushions.

"Why?"

"You're… you're my friend. And you're Hermione."

"Not good enough, Ron," she said, standing. "Thank you for your visit, boys, but I'm tired, and would like to rest."

"I love you!" Ron said desperately.

"But I don't love you," she replied, shooing the boys out the door. "Not like that. Good day. And Ron? Be a dear, and find someone else." She closed the door, locked it behind her, and sank to the floor. What was she going to do?

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What indeed?

This chapter was posted by special request. Thank you on behalf of all the readers, jeweltheif500!


	51. In Agreeance

"In Agreeance"

Severus was halfway to delighted with Hermione's reply to his owl. He had been thinking furiously, formulating a plan to win her back. Clearly, it had to start in writing; and, even more clearly, they had to meet. His notebook was filled with her letters, as well as his notes on everything that had happened since the final battle; notes on Hermione's recovery, his plans when it came to wooing her, sentences he came up with for his letters.

Just romantic drivel, he thought. But he decided to put some more of that 'drivel' into practice, and started to write.

_My dearest Hermione,_

_The thought of meeting you is most agreeable to me. It may take some time before I am available, but rest assured; if I could, I would make time. I would always make time for you; always will, in fact. We will indeed meet… eventually._

_On another note, I wouldn't be concerned about my feelings towards your broken engagement. How do _you_ feel? Answer honestly, my Hermione._

_Did you know that I keep all your letters? They're in a journal, which you may see one day. If you desire to maintain a relationship with me. I hope this will be the case. I say this not just because I must marry as well, but because it's _you_ I want to marry. Only you, Hermione._

_Yours,_

_Sev_

He crossed out the start of his name without thinking. He waved his wand and got rid of the scribble and the name beneath it, before re-signing it 'Horatio'. Annoyed with himself, he threw down his quill, and sent the letter. How would she respond? And when? In the meantime, he would write to her as himself; send her another poem. Now it was just a matter of choice.

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I've chosen the poem, which will be in chapter 53. I can't write that chapter at the moment, since I don't have the book with me.


	52. The Ministry Gets Involved

"The Ministry Gets Involved"

There was no warning; no owl; no floo; not even a Patronus. The Ministry came to Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in search of Hermione Granger. She had been engaged, but was now trying to escape the marriage law, at least in _their_ eyes. So, naturally, they had to discuss it with her.

"Hermione?" It was Professor McGonagall, using the floo. "Representatives from the Ministry wish to speak with you. Shall I send them to you?"

"What do they want?" she asked, wringing her hands.

"It's about the marriage law," Minerva said, and she pursed her lips, so obviously displeased that Hermione would have laughed under different circumstances.

"All right," she said, and she sighed as she approached the fireplace. "But I'll come to your office, if I may."

The headmistress nodded, disappeared, and Hermione thew a handful of green floo powder into the flames. She stepped into the fire, and was in McGonagall's office only seconds later. Three men, all strangers to her, were waiting.

"Yes?" she asked, and backed up a step as they advanced on her. "Stay back!"

"Is it true that you are no longer the fiancé of Severus Tobias Snape?" the tallest one asked.

"W-well, yes," she admitted.

"Do you know the consequences of avoiding the marriage law?" the shortest one said, tilting his head. Hermione found something almost threatening in the movement, and swallowed.

"I've got time," she said, her eyes moving between the three of them, before darting momentarily to her former Transfiguration professor. "And… and prospects."

"You also turned down Ronald Bilius Weasley?" the medium-sized one checked, looking at a piece of parchment.

"Yes, but he's not who I meant," she said, glaring at them.

"Who else, then?" the short one asked.

"That's none of your business," she snapped. "Not until things are confirmed. I've got past the first month. Just because I'm no longer engaged, doesn't mean that I won't be married by the end of the deadline. Now get out of here before I hex you out!" She pulled her wand on them threateningly. "You will be informed in _our_ good time, _not_ yours. Leave."

They hurried out, followed by several Stinging Hexes.

"Well done, Miss Granger," Minerva said, trying to suppress a grin.

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Okay, another sample of… well, reasonably close to humour. I don't think anything can beat Rita Skeeter's punishment, quite frankly. All I can write while I'm at Aunty Von's.


	53. Poetry via Owl

"Poetry via Owl"

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_I am unsure if you recall my intention to court you. We may no longer be engaged, but that just makes me free to win you over without the… let's say 'obligation' of already being my fiancé. However, your rejection certainly hurt more than just my pride. I laid my heart on the line. Please reply. Soon. In the meantime, here's a poem that I found for you, that expressed my… current feelings._

_And I rather think that it goes without saying that this letter must _never_ fall into the wrong hands. After all, I _do_ have my reputation to consider._

_So, my Hermione. Think of me as you read it; pretend that I'm reading to you. If nothing else, at least do that for me. I hope you like Blake._

"_Never seek to tell thy love,_

_Love that never told can be;_

_For the gentle wind does move_

_Silently, invisibly._

_I told my love, I told me love,_

_I told her all my heart;_

_Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears,_

_Oh! she doth depart._

_Soon as she was gone from me,_

_A traveller came by,_

_Silently, invisibly:_

_He took her with a sigh."_

_S. Snape, Potions Master._

Hermione's hands trembled as she finished the letter, and for a moment she forgot all about her correspondence with Horatio. She certainly didn't notice the similarity in writing styles, and wouldn't make the connection between her secret admirer and her former fiancé for a few days. And that was in a most dramatic fashion.

For now, she had to think about her reply… whether she even _would_ reply.

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In chapter 59, Hermione will piece everything together. Looking forward to it? I'm certainly looking forward to writing it.

**I own neither the Harry Potter series, nor any of William Blake's poems. *Grins stupidly***


	54. A Few Days' Thought

"A Few Days' Thought"

Hermione determinedly thought over Severus' letter. She would toss and turn the next two nights. This was a man who tormented her for years, not to mention how unfair he was to her friends, and non-Slytherins in general. He was once a Death Eater, who changed sides because of love, not out of duty. He loved her best friend's mother, and would doubtless never stop loving her. Therefore, he could never truly be in love with another, could he?

On the other hand… he had become a spy at great risk to his life. He had had to murder his mentor, and be cruel to the son of his first and only friend. He had been abused as a child, and bullied in school by the popular students. He was attacked by a werewolf, and owed a life debt to one of his tormentors.

He had helped Hermione during her recovery; read to her, helped to regain her memories, protected her in general. Just as he had over the years, when she thought about it. He had been willing to marry her, and still was, just for her sake.

And she had thrown it all back in his face.

_Dear Severus,_

_If I could find the words—or, to follow your example, a poem—I would write what I am feeling. I am unsure as it is. Necessity prompts me to study my options, and I am forced to admit that you are in the right. You have my express permission to crow all you like over my declaration. Likewise, this letter must never fall into the wrong hands. If any Gryffindors were to hear of this, Merlin knows what may happen. The very fabric of Hogwarts could fall apart!_

_In short—we should meet. I just cannot say everything that I must in a letter. Please reply soon._

_Hermione._

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There we are. I've mixed feelings over the reviews; and, indeed, this story in general. It has turned out so differently than I had originally intended, and has become a semi-poem fic. Hmm. Certainly not as funny as it was supposed to be. Ah well. Please review!


	55. Hope Dashed

"Hope Dashed"

"_In short—we should meet. I just cannot say everything that I must in a letter. Please reply soon. Hermione_."

Severus finished reading the letter aloud, and smiled. She had said enough; far more than he had hoped when he wrote that letter, though he wished she had replied earlier. But, where Hermione Granger and this marriage law were concerned, he would take what he could get. With any luck, she would reciprocate. She was a good girl, a smart girl. She knew that he was one of her few options, and probably her only one, at least for the time being.

He could hear sounds from outside, reverberating around the corridors. They were shouts, but not of spells or curses, so he relaxed marginally. However, he maintained a tight grip on his wand, all spy senses on alert, the door to his rooms in his peripheral.

Four sharp knocks on his door. He couldn't say why, but they sounded very official… kind of like…

"Who is it?" he barked.

"Open this door!" a man replied. Severus frowned, and stood.

"Identify yourself before I do so," he said loudly, his body tensed so that he could spring into duelling stance at a moment's notice.

"We're from the Ministry of Magic!"

"That's not a reply," he muttered. With a sigh, he dropped the wards. The door burst open, and he automatically put up a shield. He didn't relax when he saw that they wore Auror robes.

"Severus Snape," the one in the lead said. "We have a warrant for your arrest."

"Arrest? For what? I was a spy…"

"We are aware of that," the man interrupted, frowning. "However, your engagement to Hermione Granger was the main factor in keeping you out of Azkaban; any engagement at all, but hers in particular. Now that you are no longer…"

"You're arresting me for _that_?" Severus asked, furious and incredulous all at once. The man nodded, and his two companions moved forward. The potions master knew better than to fight them off, and allowed them to lead him from the room.

But really; this was most inconvenient.

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So close, and yet so far! We won't see Severus again until chapter 62. Most of the chapters between now and then will be Hermione writing to Horatio, reflecting, searching, and discovering the truth about her anonymous correspondent.

**Excited? I am…**


	56. Shocking News

"Shocking News"

Professor McGonagall and Hermione were having tea together, something they were doing frequently these days. At the moment, they were going over Hermione's options, and coming to the same conclusion: Severus Snape. He really was her only choice. Except for this mystery man, her secret admirer.

"If you do meet him, you _must_ take someone with you," she told Hermione, reaching out for another piece of shortbread. "Someone from the Order. Perhaps more than one, in case of an ambush."

"I'm sure that Horatio means me no harm. He sounds so nice in his letters…"

"Hermione, be reasonable about this. It is, after all, quite possible for someone to be deceived through letters."

"I know," Hermione said, and she sighed. "Look at _The Harvey Girls_. But then, it turned out all right in the end, and he really was a good person."

"_The Harvey Girls_?"

"I-it's a movie, Professor. A Muggle… thing. Never mind."

"Miss Granger," she said, sounding tired now, "I know how worried you are over this law. But Severus is subject to it, too. You have more options than he does. For example, this 'Horatio'. Just as he is a victim to the law, so is your… former fiancé."

"I know," Hermione said, slumping. "I keep forgetting. He's so much more capable of looking after himself than I. Well, he's always seemed that way, anyway."

"He's every bit as vulnerable as you, Miss Granger. Perhaps even more."

"So… I should be with Severus? But then what about Horatio? He loves me."

The professor sighed again, and ran a hand over her face. "I don't know, Hermione. All I know is that, with his history, being engaged is the only thing that's been keeping Severus out of Azkaban."

"What?"

"As a former Death Eater, despite his status as a spy, Severus is still in danger of being arrested by Ministry Aurors. Having a war heroine as a fiancé was a great help to him. You see, we haven't just been protecting you."

"Oh no," Hermione murmured. She stood abruptly. "I have to write to Horatio. I'm sorry, Professor McGonagall." And she ran from the office.

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I had a test today. Wish we could find out our results, but we're never told. Ah well. Now I have over two hours until my next class, because we don't have the tute for this subject now, thanks to the exam. Woo hoo! Writing break!

**I referred to the above movie earlier in the story. Who will find this place first?**


	57. An Apology and a Resolve

"An Apology and a Resolve"

_Dear Horatio,_

_I'm so sorry…_

"No, that won't do. Start again, Hermione," she berated herself. She chewed on the end of her quill, waved her wand to clear the page, and began again.

It took her over half an hour to compose the letter, and even then she was dissatisfied with it. But that could have been more to do with the fact that she hated to break his heart, and perhaps her own, through so limiting a medium as writing.

_My dear Horatio,_

_I can hardly bring myself to write this, but I must. It has been brought to my attention that I have risked too much with breaking my engagement to Severus. No doubt you are aware of his situation. Well, because we are no longer engaged, I have placed him at risk. He may be arrested if I do not re-accept his proposal._

_So this is what it comes to. Words can never express just how much I regret this. We cannot be together; not when he needs me. He deserves help, and we—I—owe it to him. If there was another way out of this, I would find it._

_But I must marry Severus Snape. And I am resolved to do so. Please forgive me for this. I only hope that we can be together one day._

_Remember the second amendment._

_Love,_

_Hermione._

She rolled up the parchment, and went over to Eileen's perch. She gave her the letter, and whispered, as she always did:

"Take this to Horatio, my secret correspondent."

Eileen set off with a hoot and a flurry of tawny wings. Now Hermione had to find her former Potions and Defence professor. She would marry him, and as soon as possible.

She made her way down to the dungeons, never noticing the four people leaving the Entrance Hall.

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And we all know who those four people are…

**Oh, if she had only got there a few minutes earlier!**

**Eileen, for those who've forgotten, is the owl that Severus gave to Hermione. The second amendment to the marriage law is the one which states that divorce is allowed after five years, clearing the way for Hermione and 'Horatio'… though she has yet to figure out just who 'Horatio' is.**


	58. Return

"Return"

The chambers were empty. The fact that the wards were down was enough of a worry; and Severus was nowhere to be seen. Brow furrowed, Hermione kept calling to him, hoping that he might answer, fearing that he was injured… and terrified that he may have already been arrested.

She found her letter on his desk, where she said that she would meet him. She traced the words '_Dear Severus_', and smiled sadly. She hoped he was all right.

"Severus?" she called again, and she continued to walk through his quarters. But he was nowhere to be seen. Had rogue Death Eaters come for him? Or was it Ministry Aurors? Which possibility was worse? By now, she was in panic mode.

Casting a few spells, she realised that no Dark Magic had been used recently. Severus had used a Shielding Charm, but nothing else. No doubt it _had_ been the Ministry coming for him, then. She sighed. Did he still have her ring? If so, she needed to find it.

While she searched his study, two owls fluttered into the room, dropping their missives before flying away again. She didn't notice the owls; just the letters. One had a Ministry of Magic seal stamped on it, and had no address. Frowning, she opened it.

It was an official notice saying that Severus Snape had been arrested, and was now imprisoned in Azkaban. The horrid piece of parchment fell from her limp fingers as Hermione faced the shock of having been the cause of Severus' imprisonment. She shook herself, and turned to the other letter out of curiosity.

She couldn't see the name on it, because someone had stamped a big "RETURNED: RECIPIENT IN AZKABAN", and realised that they had come together. Ordinarily, she wouldn't have opened someone else's letter. But, in this case, it might have been urgent.

_My dear Horatio,_

_I can hardly bring myself to_…

"Oh no!"

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Oh yes! And now Hermione must face the consequences of her actions. Yes, the long-awaited "Hermione finally works out who it is" chapter is coming up.

**By the way, that's not the title. I'm just being flippant. *Grins stupidly, as per usual***

**This earlier-than-usual post was for the sake of natsuBoshi's health. You now no longer run the risk of exploding, I hope.**


	59. Clarity

"Clarity"

Her letter to Horatio had been returned. Why was he in Azkaban? Hermione dropped to the floor with the letter. First Severus was imprisoned; and now Horatio, for some reason, was on the horrifying prison island. She had never been there herself; but, from Sirius' descriptions of it, she certainly would have preferred never to go there. But now she had to try and liberate not just one, but _two_ men. Particularly as she was probably the cause of their incarceration.

Two… not one…

Or was it one… not two?

Hermione began to search the rooms frantically. No sign of her ring; not yet. But she found, on his bedside table, some kind of journal.

It can't be, she thought, and she picked it up. Swallowing, she opened the diary.

It was Severus' writing. She knew it from her returned essays, not to mention the letter he had sent her. No. He couldn't be Horatio. Their handwriting was different. No. No. She refused to believe it.

But, when she read the diary, and found all her folded letters inside, she could no longer deny it. She stared at one of the entries, and felt her throat constrict.

_There's no point in keeping the ring. But keep it I shall. I have to marry; I know that all too well. The Order has made it perfectly clear. So someone else will have the ring, since Hermione no longer wants it. No longer wants me._

_But… I have promised myself to court her; to… 'woo' her. What a terrible word. It is, in absolutely no way, romantic._

_Hermione must see reason! In the meantime, the ring will remain in her favourite book. I'll never forget where it is. At least, I hope it is still her favourite book._

This was the diary that 'Horatio' had told her about; the one he would let her see if ever they married.

He… he had lied to her.

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Sorry to cut it off here, but what the hey? It's a flippin' cliffhanger, man…


	60. Further Journal Excerpts

"Further Journal Excerpts"

Hermione flipped to the beginning, and particularly entries stood out.

_I must equivocate. I don't want to lie to Hermione, ever; either as her 'secret admirer' or as Severus Snape. After lying for so many years, I'm sick of it. The first letter will be hard; I'll have to stretch the truth at times._

Later…

_The only draft that sounded appealing enough to a young girl like Hermione… in it, I had to lie. I fear that I may be separating myself too much from… myself, for wont of a better way of putting it. She mustn't know; she mustn't find out too soon. This idea of mine is a security blanket. Am I being selfish? Probably._

Further on…

'_Horatio'. How on earth did she come up with that name? One day, once I've told her who I am, I'll ask where she got it from. At any rate, I've avoided lying directly. But then I smelt Amortentia… and it smells like her. Somehow, I believe that I'll no longer need to lie._

And…

_She signed herself 'Secretly yours, Hermione'. What do I take from this? Out letters are friendly—for once, I'm the one being more open—but she seems to be developing some kind of… feelings for 'Horatio'. Why do I feel hopeful? Oh yes. Two words. 'Marriage Law'. I'm glad I've thought to buy her an owl._

Then…

_She called the owl 'Eileen'. Why? Is her memory returning? Or is she deliberately taunting me? If it wasn't so unethical to use Legillimancy on an amnesiac… well, perhaps I can look into that. But not on Hermione. I must respect her privacy._

Lastly…

_I feel unreasonably cut up that Hermione has rejected me. I may have given her part of the little heart I have left. I should have known better. With any luck, the Ministry won't go after her, even if they come after me. If they dare to try and hurt her, I'll give the Ministry of Magic a _real_ reason to throw me in Azkaban._

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I can't remember what I was going to do for the last entry, so I hope this has been an adequate substitute. Is it all okay? I've only used entries that relate to what's already been in the story so far.


	61. Like the Corners of My Mind

"Like the Corners of My Mind"

She felt betrayed. Even though she knew it was unreasonable, she still felt as though he had lied to her. It was as though every moment with him since she lost her memories was false. All she thought she knew about the real Severus Snape was put on, a show to make her fall in love with him for his own purposes. Yes, it was to save her as well. But wasn't creating an entirely different persona going overboard?

But… the Amortentia. As soon as he had leaned over to smell the Amortentia, she had realised that the third smell was his hair. She was attracted to Severus. She knew it then, and she admitted it now. She kept signing her letters with 'Love, Hermione', though.

Of course, things were less confusing now that she knew 'Horatio' and Severus were the same person. She had felt guilty at times, feeling as though she was cheating on both of them. Now that guilt could just disappear.

Did her feelings amuse him, though?

She remembered him reading to her. Poetry, novels, books on magic. She thought of his proposal. Never would she—could she—forget how romantic it had been. Flowers, candles, poetry, that voice of his… How could she have been so stupid not to say 'yes' before he had even opened his mouth, never mind waiting for the end?

The memories were so much clearer than any of the moments she had lost because of the Transference. Maybe she was just connected to him because of that? Well, she wouldn't know how she felt until she met him. Somehow… she just knew that.

While reminiscing, Hermione had absently been searching his bookshelves for _Hogwarts, a History_. Her fingers reached for it automatically, and she drew it down. It was well-thumbed, well-worn, and was only a few editions back. Was it his favourite book, too?

"Aha!" she exclaimed quietly when she snapped open the book, and the ring box magically appeared.

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Hurrah! Okay; we're going to have some interaction—though not much—in the next chapter, and even more in the posting after that. Then, things will be much better from chapter 64 onwards. Looking forward to it? I hope so.

**So chapter 62 is quite Severus-focused. Yeah.**


	62. The Prisoner of Azkaban

"The Prisoner of Azkaban"

It was of little comfort to Severus Snape that he wasn't the only person stuck in Azkaban because he wasn't engaged. This was largely because those others were all former Death Eaters, too. It turned out that those with the Dark Mark had to be imprisoned to await trial; but, if they were engaged to a war hero or heroine, or were married and able to conceive children, they were released. Those who were in Severus' situation—having fought on the side of the Light in the Final Battle—were allowed to lead normal lives. Those who fought on Voldemort's side until the last, however, had to remain under house arrest.

There were very few of those.

So here he was, mulling over the mess that his life had become… well, ever since he was born. Lately, he had felt a reprieve with Hermione. Their relationship had been a lifebelt of sorts for him; and that lifebelt had now been taken away.

And he was stuck here. In the cold. In the sorrow. Behind bars, and within impenetrable walls. A Ministry-controlled island, the majority of it filled with people who wanted to kill him, and were more than capable of doing so.

He shivered, which was a foreign feeling to the 'Bat of the Dungeons'. He was so used to the cold—both the physical coldness of his quarters and the emotional coldness of his colleagues—that he hated this feeling. While it wasn't his first time in Azkaban, this time was worse; because _this _time, he had had the chance to feel warm.

"Oh, Hermione," he moaned, slumping down onto the floor, where he lay, curled up to protect his heart from the outside world.

Oh great, he thought. Now I've gone all poetic. What next, hmm?

"You've got a visitor!" barked one of the Aurors, answering his unspoken question. Severus pushed himself back up into a sitting position, right against the back wall, hands in plain sight. The door opened, and he flinched at the burst of sunlight reflecting off the bars.

Then _she_ stepped in.

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Hurrah! Hermione to the rescue!

**(As opposed to "Hogwarts to the Rescue", one of my other stories.)**

**(Just saying…)**


	63. Not Another Poem

"Not Another Poem"

"Hello, Severus," she said quietly, looking down at him where he was seated on the floor, staring up at her in astonishment. Or was it amazement? Either way, he was surprised. "It's all right," she murmured to the Auror. "I'm safe with him."

"All right, Miss Granger," he said, nodding to her, and he left, closing the door behind him. Severus continued to stare at Hermione, but she was refusing to meet his gaze now, instead finding the floor to be absolutely fascinating.

"Miss Granger," he said, his voice also soft. He wouldn't let her back into his heart; if, indeed she had ever been in there. Not yet, anyway. "Why are you here?"

He still tried to meet her eyes, unwilling to move from his spot. It hit him. She was afraid. Well, he wouldn't do anything to frighten her away; so he resolutely stayed glued to his spot, also looking at the floor. He saw her feet approach him, hesitant in their steps. She couldn't be afraid of rejection; and yet it almost seemed that way.

He snorted softly, and the steps faltered again. He saw her knees come into view as she knelt before him, now at the same level. He dared to look up at her; but still she wasn't looking at his face. What was wrong with the girl?

"Hermione?" he asked. He heard her take a shaky breath, and she spoke.

"'I both wished and feared to see Mr. Rochester on the day which followed his sleepless night'," she quoted, and Severus' eyes widened in shock. "'I wanted to hear his voice again, yet feared to meet his eye'."

He paused, and then stretched out a finger, placed it underneath her chin, and tilted her face up. Her eyes were tightly shut, and he could only speak two words.

"Meet it."

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*Gapes in excitement, despite the fact that I'm writing this*

**You thought it was going to be another poem, didn't you? And yet I didn't lie with the title! Honest!**

**Anyway; the quote is from **_**Jane Eyre**_**—I hope you're not sick of hearing about her—and it happens after she saves Mr. Rochester from being burned alive during the middle of the night. The above quote opens chapter sixteen. Okay? Okay.**


	64. Forgiveness

"Forgiveness"

Her eyelids parted, and she looked into the eyes of her former fiancé. There was a strange feeling inside of Hermione, and she wondered how much he could see in her eyes. Because, in _his_ eyes, she could see tiredness and pain, resignation… and hope.

"Why did you lie to me?" she whispered. "Why, _Horatio_?"

"You wanted love," he reminded her. "You weren't willing to listen to reason. I had to have all bases covered. Just read the diary, and you'll know… oh. You've read it, haven't you?"

"I'm sorry," she said, dropping her gaze. "But you were gone. I was worried. And you said that I could read it one day."

"'Horatio' told you that," he said, shaking his head.

"But you wrote the letters."

"Of course."

"And… I'm sorry I rejected you," she continued. "I was frightened. I didn't hate the idea of marrying you, when I should have. I also hated the fact that I was being forced to marry someone, _anyone_, by the Ministry of Magic."

"I understand," he said. "And I'm sorry for deceiving you."

"So… we're both forgiven?" she asked, meeting his eyes again, giving him a small, hopeful smile. He smiled back weakly, and nodded. She slipped her hands into his, and he felt something strange. He lifted her hands, and stared at the ring.

"You…"

"We can't pretend that this didn't happen," she interrupted him. "But we can resume where we left off… can't we?"

Severus nodded, and then did something quite unexpected.

He leaned forward, pulled her against him, and pressed his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

Half an hour later, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape left Azkaban Island, once again engaged, and went straight to the Ministry of Magic.

They had some dunderheaded officials to sort out, after all.

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They've kissed! Hurrah! Yes, it's chapter 64; but they've finally had a kiss. How many of you have been waiting for this for simply ages? It just seemed like an appropriate moment, you see. Do you all agree? I hope so.


	65. More Prophet Articles

"More _Prophet_ Articles"

_**WAR HEROINE AND SPY TO WED!**_

_Shockwaves hit the Ministry of Magic yesterday afternoon when Hermione Granger, best friend of The-Boy-Who-Lived, announced her re-engagement to Severus Snape, former spy for the Light._

_Miss Granger released Professor Snape from Azkaban prison only minutes before they arrived at the Ministry, and went to the Births, Deaths, and Marriages department. She threatened employees there, and when attempts were made to restrain her magically, her fiancé stepped in and defended her._

The Daily Prophet_ managed to secure an interview with the couple._

_For the interview, turn to page two._

_For mini-biographies of Miss Granger and Professor Snape, see pages five to seventeen._

_**GRANGER-SNAPE MARRIAGE ANNOUNCED!**_

_Yesterday, the date of the Granger-Snape wedding was announced. It will be taking place in mid-August, though only close friends of the engaged couple know the specific date. But an inside source has told the _Prophet_ that the wedding will be held at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where they met, and subsequently became engaged the first time. The second time was at Azkaban, when she released him from prison._

_For details on Hermione Granger's past relationships with Harry Potter and Viktor Krum, see pages six to ten._

_For details on Severus Snape's life-long love for Lily Potter, see pages eleven to fifteen._

_**ARTICLE RETRACTION**_

The Daily Prophet_ apologises to readers for yesterday's articles about Severus Snape and Hermione Granger. No harm was meant, but we heartily apologise for any offence taken, and ask that no more cursed letters be sent to the _Prophet's_ offices._

Severus and Hermione was sitting together in her quarters, next to each other on the couch. They had both snorted at the retraction notice. They weren't the only ones who had sent hexes via owl. But they never spoke about the articles. Instead, they kept moving closer to each other on the couch, until they were shoulder-to-shoulder. Things had changed since the kiss.

Things had changed a lot.

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I didn't know what else to write about in the articles, so decided to put in a little bit about Hermione and Severus, and a reference to their reactions.

**Only five more chapters after this. Looking forward to the end? R&R, readers!**


	66. Discussion Between Friends

"Discussion Between Friends"

Harry met Hermione at the Three Broomsticks. When she arrived from Hogwarts, she grinned at him, and he enveloped her in a big hug.

"Hermione," he murmured, holding onto her tightly. "I'm really glad to see you."

"Same here," she said, squeezing him back. They finally let go, and sat down at one of the booths. "What're you having?"

"Butterbeer—for old time's sake," he said, the grin still on his face. "You?"

"But of course. Shall I order?"

"Already done," he admitted, blushing shamefacedly. Hermione laughed happily, and settled back in her seat.

"And paid for, I imagine," she said, and he nodded. "Let me pay you back, Harry."

"No way. I've got more than enough money to cover it, whereas you…" He stopped, and the smile let his face. "Sorry."

"No," she said quietly, looking at her hands. "It's all right, Harry. To tell you the truth, if ever I cared about money before, I sure as he… heck don't care as much now. Losing my memories… was just horrible. Money doesn't mean anything if you don't even know who you are. And yet… I've become someone different, I believe. Yes. I've changed. Do you think it's for the better, Harry?" Rosmerta brought their drinks over, before leaving again.

"Well, you've clearly lost some of your marbles, getting engaged to Snape."

"Professor Snape, Harry. And 'Severus' now, really."

"To you, maybe."

"So is this the real reason you asked to meet me here? To talk about my upcoming marriage?"

"…Yes," he said, and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This marriage law really has been a nightmare."

"You did really well, though, Harry. Surely you realise that."

"Kind of."

"And in case you're wondering… I really do care about Severus. I like him. I want to marry him. Please believe me." She gave him a pleading look, and he smiled at her.

"Just be happy, `Mione. That'll be enough for me. And for what it's worth… I do believe you. Not as much as I probably should, I'm thinking. But he'll look after you, which was why the whole thing was arranged from the start."

"I know," she said. They both drank in silence for awhile longer, before moving onto more trivial conversation. It was another hour before they parted ways, still laughing over some joke Harry had told. Hermione returned to her rooms, content, and went from there to Severus' rooms.

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The next two chapters are wedding-related—basically, shopping for wedding things. I'll probably show part of the wedding, since it's been requested a few times now, assuming you really all do want a whole chapter dedicated to it. Do you?

**Stupid question, really. But I figure that, by asking it, I might get more reviews than usual; and there's nothing wrong with that, is there? I just thought that this conversation was important for them to have.**

**Longer chapter than usual, so I hope you're all happy with that.**


	67. Shopping for the Big Day

"Shopping for the Big Day"

Madame Malkins loved the Ministry of Magic's marriage law for one reason: she was doing _extremely_ well out of it. Certainly, there were moments she felt sorry for the people being forced to marry. But rent was always high in Diagon Alley, and outside of the 'school shopping period', she didn't get much business. Now, she was gathering a nice little nest egg, from the last couple of months alone.

One of the strangest couples she had heard about was the Granger-Snape couple. Folks were starting to call it the 'Snanger' wedding.

An hour ago, Severus Snape had come into the shop with his best man, Lucius Malfoy, and bought black dress robes. Very no-nonsense, as per usual. They had been talking about the gold rings that the professor had bought, with a ruby-emerald-ruby-emerald setting. Malfoy had called him a romantic, and nearly got hexed for it.

She heard far more about the wedding when the Golden Girl of Gryffindor came in half an hour later, accompanied by the Weasley matriarch and her only daughter, who was the maid-of-honour. Mr. Weasley was going to be giving the bride away, since apparently Miss Granger no longer had any parents. When had that happened? But Madame Malkins was too busy taking measurements and pointing out fabrics to think any more about that.

White, of course. The dress the young woman picked out was indeed lovely—only the best at Madame Malkins—and only required a few changes. The skirt of the gown was satin, and stopped just above the ankles, showing off the matching low-heeled shoes. The sleeveless bodice was made of the finest white velvet, and had a modest neckline. No veil, which was surprising; but apparently the groom had said that he wanted to see her face, since it was 'too lovely to be covered'.

Personally, she couldn't imagine him saying such a thing; but, considering what had been revealed about his past life, anything was possible when it came to Severus Snape. There must have been, if the female third of the Golden Trio was condescending to marry him.

It was a good thing Madame Malkins never gossiped. Pity the wedding date had never been mentioned.

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Next chapter you'll get the wedding. Happy now? I decided that doing this chapter from someone else's perspective would be interesting. Do you agree?


	68. They Wed

"They Wed"

Near the lake at Hogwarts, an archway had been erected, and adorned with roses. A wide division between the rows of white, cloth-covered seats ran from the archway to the semi-gazebo where the Ministry celebrant stood. Before him stood the groom and best man, both in their dress robes. So many people had wanted to attend the Granger-Snape wedding that it was staggering; but it was kept small by the request of both the bride and the groom. In the end, Hermione's close friends—those left from Dumbledore's army and the Weasley clan—and the Hogwarts staff were the only attendees.

Ginny came down the aisle first. Rose petals had already been scattered on the lawn during the set-up. She was in a gold and silver dress; simple, but definitely not ugly. Harry tugged at the collar of his dress robes when he saw her with her hair up, a few tendrils of her red hair falling down her cheeks.

Hermione, holding onto Arthur's arm, trembled as they walked through the archway. She had always thought that her own father would be giving her away. But when she saw Severus, and particularly his relieved expression, her confidence grew by leaps and bounds. Sooner than she thought, she was standing opposite him in front of the celebrant. She handed her bouquet of vanilla-scented roses to Ginny, never taking her eyes from her fiancé.

"You really thought I was going to leave you here," she whispered to him. He inclined his head in admission, and she blinked back the threatening tears. "I'd never do that."

"I knew that," he murmured. "I just couldn't believe it." The Ministry celebrant cleared his throat, and they took each other's hands for the Bonding ceremony. He would ask them questions, and they would answer together.

"You are here to be Bonded together, in magic, body, mind, and soul?"

"We are."

"You understand that this is for the terms of your natural lives?"

"We do."

"You are prepared for the Bonding to commence?"

"We are."

The questions were probing and comprehensive, and the marriage ended up taking over an hour and a half. But it seemed as though it had only gone for a few minutes for Hermione and Severus, whose eyes never left each other, whose voices never faltered, and whose hands never moved from each other's grasps. They answered each question in perfect unison; the only notice that they took of the outside world was to hear the celebrant's words.

Finally, the end. There was a small reception in the Great Hall for the attendees, with the traditional dancing afterwards. Then speeches were made, and the cake cut.

George Weasley provided a fireworks display that provided enough of a distraction for the newlyweds to get away without drawing any attention to themselves. There was no throwing of any bouquet, so that was one less thing to worry about.

They weren't heard of again for three months.

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No, that's not me being ominous. Just… cheeky. *Winks slyly*

**Longer chapter in honour of the wedding. You realise this is one of two chapters I've been writing at the moment with a wedding involved. The other is in "Hogwarts to the Rescue", and I'm writing that at the moment. Well, not exactly. At the moment, I'm writing this author note.**

**Two chapters left! Gaah!!!**


	69. Bearing in Mind the Rating

"Bearing in Mind the Rating…"

After all the publicity that their wedding had gained in the 'popular press'—and even the unpopular press—had made up their minds. Severus had suggested, and Hermione heartily agreed, that they should drop off the magical radar for the duration of their well-earned honeymoon. So, as soon as they were able to escape from the wedding, they ran down to the school gates, glad they had changed their clothes after the ceremony into ordinary robes, covering Muggle clothing. Using Weasleys Wizard Wheezes products, they were able to escape from the reporters camped outside the gates.

They apparated to the Lake District, restored their luggage to its normal size (it had been hidden in Hermione's garter), removed their robes, and went to the bed and breakfast they had booked for the first two weeks of their honeymoon. They were going to travel around Britain, see parts of it neither of them had seen before.

But right now, they had new territory of a different kind to explore.

Once in their suite—all upgrades paid for by Harry as a wedding present; he was the only one privy to their plans—they unpacked slowly and silently, glancing at each other occasionally, both trying not to smile too much.

As soon as Hermione was finished, she sat down on the edge of the bed. They had taken a break to watch the sun setting, but it was as dark as Severus' eyes now. She began to tremble. He noticed, and shoved their bags underneath the bed before sitting beside her.

"You've never…"

"No."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, Severus. I want it to be you."

"You didn't always, though, did you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow, and she shook her head.

"But the difference," she told him, "is that now I do. Because now I… I love you, Severus." She breathed in and out slowly several times, before getting her Gryffindor courage together enough to look at him. He was smirking.

No.

Not smirking.

Smiling.

"Then it's a very good thing that I love you, too, Hermione," he said, tilting his head. "Isn't it?"

"Y-yes," she replied, beaming at him tearfully. She threw her arms around him. "It's a very good thing, Severus." He embraced her back. "You know what? I'm glad I lost my memories when I saved you; otherwise this might never have happened."

"What if you had never regained your memories?"

"It would still have been worth it. This moment—this is worth a dozen memories. A hundred. Worth a thousand memories."

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Not the end, fair readers! Only one chapter left. I was going to do it in a similar way to the end of the last chapter of "Healer Granger", but changed my mind. After all, I'd hate to fall into some kind of pattern like that. So it's going to be something… a little different. *Winks* Looking forward to it? I hope so.


	70. The Final Poem

"The Final Poem"

**Foreword**

One hundred and fifty years ago, Hermione Granger and Severus Snape wed. It was to be a marriage that would last for one hundred and sixteen years, until they both passed away due to old age.

My great-great-great-grandparents were so-called victims of the Marriage Law that was introduced after the defeat of He-Who-Can-Now-Be-Named-Out-Loud-But-Not-In-Print. But, instead of being allowed the divorce that was permitted after five years, the public was shocked to find out that they had refused to be married under the law, and declared that they had never had any intention of separating.

It's one of the true love stories, and a story of an intense partnership between two of the most powerful magical beings ever to have graced Great Britain's wizarding community.

This book celebrates their achievements together, from the moment they met during Mrs. Snape's first potions lesson at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, through their unique courtship and years of work for the wizarding world, up until the moment they passed away together at their home in Nottinghamshire thirty-four years ago.

It wasn't until a few years ago that, while searching through old artefacts, I came across the diary that Professor Snape kept while he was playing the role of 'Horatio', elaborated on in chapter fourteen. Inside the front cover was a poem by William Butler Yeats, that I have included in the foreword as a fitting testament to this, the first true account of their lives together.

When You Are Old

When you are old and grey and full of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book,

And slowly read, and dream of the soft look

Your eyes had once, and of their shadows deep.

How many loved your moments of glad grace,

And loved your beauty with love false or true;

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,

And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

And bending down beside the glowing bars

Murmur, a little sadly, how love fled

And paced upon the mountains overhead

And hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

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The end!

**Thank you to all my readers who have faithfully seen this story out with me. Over 500 reviews! I hope it has lived up to its expectations. Did you find the last poem fitting? By the way, the name of the book that Cassius David Snape wrote about his great-great-great-grandparents is called "The Final Poem". I attach no meaning to the author's name. I just liked the sound of it.**

**Clearly, Hermione and Severus held up their end of the marriage law. *Wink***


End file.
